Christmas movies have become a part of the American holiday tradition.  My favorites are probably Elf (2003), A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965), and It’s a Wonderful Life (1946).  This year though, I may have to watch again Home Alone (1990).  Home Alone ranks in my top 10 but after seeing it create a buzz on Fox News and going viral on Tik Tok I think it is going to have to be a rewatch for me in 2023.

In case you haven’t heard, Home Alone’s Kevin McCallister went grocery shopping (in California, non the less) and took care of his holiday menus for under $20.  He even threw in a classic Christmas toy of plastic army men.  Yes, his bill was still under $20.  Fox News tallied the list cost to have risen to almost 250% since then.  Although in East Tennessee we may not experience the same prices as Americans do in some areas we are still experiencing some sticker shock at the registers of our grocery stores.  Kevin purchased a half-gallon of milk, plastic wrap, Stouffer’s frozen turkey dinner, Snuggle dryer sheets, Wonderbread, Quilted Northern toilet paper, Kraft Macaroni and Cheese, army men, Tide liquid detergent, and a half-gallon of Tropicana orange juice and rang up a final bill of $19.83.  Madeline Coggins tallied these items to be $72.28 in 2023.

One recent poll shows that 67% of Americans don’t see the economy starting to improve and wages keeping up with inflation.

What this means to us at the Y12FCU Gives Foundation is that without the agencies that we support there would be a lot of hungry children this Christmas time.  One of the things that I hear about the Gives Foundation is that we have done a lot of the homework for you already.  No one wants to give to an organization that wastes funds or has line items in their budget that don’t fit their appeal to donors.  Sometimes donors would like to give to more than one agency that is doing a great job.  The Gives Foundation vets agencies carefully and makes sure that every dollar given goes to feeding the most vulnerable hungry children.  You can give with confidence that your hard earned money is being spent well when given to the Gives Foundation.  It is being distributed to multiple agencies making the most impact.  Please join us in giving by clicking the donate button.

With appreciation this Christmas,

Dr. Gary Brewster

Executive Director

Y-12FCU Gives Foundation