HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 173
Commending Melanie Kelly.

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 2, 2018
Agreed to by the Senate, February 8, 2018

WHEREAS, for the last six years, Ashburn resident Melanie Kelly has been the organizer of Share a Little Thanks, a program that has provided hundreds of Thanksgiving dinners to families in need in Loudoun County; and

WHEREAS, Melanie Kelly first developed Share a Little Thanks in 2012 while organizing a backpack drive at her local elementary school; after learning how many of the school's students came from families that would be without a meal on Thanksgiving, she rallied the support of friends and gathered enough food to donate around 50 dinners; and

WHEREAS, since 2012, Melanie Kelly and her volunteers have expanded the Share a Little Thanks program; supporters donated nearly 150 meals in 2016, and in 2017 they gave 220 meals that fed 1,154 people; each meal donated to Share a Little Thanks is a complete Thanksgiving dinner that includes a turkey, vegetables, and dessert treats; the dinners are boxed up and sent to local schools, where those in need can pick them up anonymously; and

WHEREAS, to help grow Share a Little Thanks, Melanie Kelly has drawn on the support of her local community; partners now include the staff of a Harris Teeter grocery store, local students and sports teams, and members of the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts, who collect food donations for the dinners; and

WHEREAS, Melanie Kelly's work with Share a Little Thanks has brightened the holiday season for hundreds of families in Loudoun County, and stands as a superb example of community service and good citizenship; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Melanie Kelly for aiding the residents of Loudoun County as the creator of the Share a Little Thanks program; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Melanie Kelly as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for her remarkable accomplishments and best wishes for continued success.