The holiday season is a joyful time of year for most. However, the costs of hosting a Thanksgiving dinner and keeping up with holiday norms can be pricey and overwhelming.Thats why Gods Pantry Food Bank in Lexington is doing its annual Sharing Thanksgiving program, where volunteers assemble the essentials needed for cooking a Thanksgiving meal.I know what its like to not be able to provide a meal for your family, Volunteer Jessica Mendez Lira said.To her, assembling these Thanksgiving meals for the community is personal.When you dont know where your foods coming from, you go into a survival mode, and youre not able to really experience your life to the fullest, she added. Food is such an important part of relationships in many cultures. Being able to provide a way to bring people together is really important.The Community Health Worker once needed Gods Pantrys assistance.Now, she is one of 200 volunteers who decided to spend their Saturday Afternoon helping others.I mean, it does feel really good because you are physically seeing a product that you know is going to meet someones hands and be on their table, Mendez Lira said.She knows packing the meals, which include brownie mix, stuffing mix, cranberry sauce, and more, makes a difference. But its more about seeing the family's reaction when they receive these boxes.Im telling you, I have seen literal relief on someones face, said Lira Mendez.According to Feeding America, more than 47 million people across the country face hunger.In Kentucky, Gods Pantry says 40 percent of the nations most food-insecure counties are located in the central and eastern parts of the state.Every single day, I meet somebody that doesnt know where their next meal is going to come from, she said. Its like, wow, there is this much need in our community?After a hard days work, Mendez Lira helped the organization box over 5500 meals. She says this experience made an impact on her. How she hopes it will make an impact on her neighbors.Gods Pantry is currently accepting financial donations to support the Sharing Thanksgiving Program. Please visit their website for more information.