November 2026
November at YAIPAK
A Season of Giving, Gratitude & Hope
The holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year at YAIPAK, and we're excited about all the opportunities ahead to bring hope to our community!
From Thanksgiving meals to Christmas celebrations for foster families, our warehouse is preparing for weeks filled with giving, serving, and sharing kindness.
Whether you donate, volunteer, shop a wishlist, or simply help spread the word, there's a place for you to Be The Hope this season.
Operation Turkey Drop | November 20
This year, our annual Operation Turkey Drop will serve more than 500 veterans, many of whom are celebrating Thanksgiving in a home of their own after experiencing homelessness.
But this tradition is about so much more than a Thanksgiving meal.
Every year, we hear stories of veterans reconnecting with family members they haven't seen during their time of homelessness. Around the Thanksgiving table, relationships begin to heal, families are reunited, and moments of reconciliation and restoration take place.
For these veterans, it's an opportunity to celebrate not only a new home, but renewed hope and the possibility of a fresh start with the people they love.
That's why Operation Turkey Drop means so much to us. A meal may bring everyone to the table, but what happens around that table can mean so much more.
We're grateful to LifePoint Church and Legends Bank for partnering with us to make this year's distribution possible!
Want to help us care for our veterans? We've created a special Amazon Wishlist with items needed to support our Project Patriot Hope program.
Help Us Make Christmas Jolly & Merry!
December 5 | Jolly Merry Christmas
We're getting ready for a very special Christmas celebration for our area foster families!
Our Jolly Merry Christmas event is all about creating joyful memories and making sure children and families know just how important they are.
To help make the day possible, we're collecting new toys and gifts through a dedicated Amazon Wishlist.
Every gift you purchase helps us prepare for a celebration filled with Christmas joy!
And keep an eye out around town! YAIPAK's Christmas donation bins will soon be appearing at area businesses, giving our community another convenient way to participate in holiday giving.
Celebrate Christmas at The Hideaway &
Support YAIPAK!
November 13–December 20 | Gallatin, TN
Looking for a fun Christmas outing for the whole family? Christmas at The Hideaway is bringing plenty of holiday magic to Gallatin, and your visit can support YAIPAK!
Enjoy Santa photos, a Christmas market, Mrs. Claus storytime, live animals and a nativity, Christmas movies, carnival games, ornament decorating, s'mores, and more!
When purchasing your car pass, use promo code:
YAIPAK26
For every car pass purchased with our code:
$5 is donated directly to YAIPAK!
You'll receive one FREE activity ticket ($5 value)!
The promotion is valid throughout the season, November 13–December 20.
And there's even more reason to visit during December 18–20, The Hideaway's dedicated YAIPAK Benefit Weekend, when a portion of admission proceeds will also support our mission!
Hours: Fridays–Sundays, 4–9 PM
Location: Gallatin, Tennessee
Some activities and purchases are priced separately.
A Fresh Start Means Everything
Sometimes we receive a message that reminds us just how much the little things matter.
Recently, our Project Patriot Hope team delivered Totes of Hope to the VA in Nashville for veterans transitioning from homelessness into housing. Not long afterward, we received a heartfelt letter from one of those veterans.
After spending time sleeping in their car, this veteran was finally able to move into an apartment with help from Operation Stand Down. Our Totes of Hope arrived just when they were needed most.
We wanted to share a portion of that letter with you.
"The tubs came at exactly the right time. Inside I found cooking gear, cleaning supplies, and all the small household items you don't think about until you have nothing. Having them meant I could cook a meal, clean my space, and start to feel settled instead of just housed."
And then came the words that meant so much to our team:
"Your generosity gave me more than supplies. It gave me dignity and a real sense of a fresh start."
Think about that for a moment. The everyday items many of us take for granted helped someone begin to feel at home again.
This is what your donations make possible. Every tote packed, every household item given, and every hour volunteered becomes part of someone's new beginning.
To everyone who makes Project Patriot Hope possible, thank you. You may never meet the veterans receiving these gifts, but your kindness is reaching them in ways that go far beyond the items inside a tote.
You Are Important.
Sharing Christmas with Our Community | December 18
We're looking forward to our annual Christmas community distribution in partnership with the Clarksville Police Department!
On December 18, we'll be working together to distribute food and any available toys to help care for individuals and families in our community during the Christmas season.
Partnerships like this are an important part of how YAIPAK serves. By combining resources and working alongside organizations already connected to our neighbors, we're able to help reach even more people.
You Helped Us Win a $10,000 Grant!
We have some exciting news to share! Thanks to YOU, YAIPAK was awarded the $10,000 Community Choice Grant through the Altra Best Life Community Awards!
Every vote, every share, and every person who encouraged someone else to support YAIPAK helped make this possible. We are incredibly grateful for a community that continues to show up for the people we serve!
While $10,000 is a tremendous blessing, the needs we respond to don't stop. Every day, we're providing essentials for children entering foster care, helping veterans transition into housing, reaching those experiencing homelessness, supporting other area non-profits and organizations, and preparing to respond when disaster strikes.
Grants like this help us move forward, but it's the continued generosity of our donors that makes this work possible day after day. Every gift, whether large or small, plays a part in keeping hope moving.
And there's another FREE way to help!
YAIPAK is also participating in MyGivingCircle, where your votes help us compete for additional grant funding. You can cast a free vote each week and encourage others to do the same!
Community Classes & Opportunities to Learn
There's always something happening at YAIPAK beyond our regular serve days!
We love providing opportunities for our community to connect, learn new skills, and gain practical knowledge through our classes.
Be Part of the Hope
There's no shortage of opportunities to serve this season, and we'd love to welcome you to the warehouse!
YAIPAK | LeoLillie Center
1255 Paradise Hill Road
Clarksville, TN
Regular Volunteer Hours
Monday: 9 AM–12 PM
Wednesday: 12–2 PM
Thursday: 5–8 PM
Thanksgiving Week Closure
Please note that our warehouse will be closed Wednesday, November 25, through Friday, November 27, in observance of Thanksgiving.
Regular volunteer hours will resume Monday, November 30.
We hope our volunteers and community partners enjoy a wonderful Thanksgiving with their loved ones!
For questions or to coordinate a large group, email serve@yaipak.org.
With Grateful Hearts
As we gather with family and friends this Thanksgiving, we want you to know how grateful we are for YOU.
For every person who brings a donation, shows up to volunteer, shares a need, partners with us, or supports our mission from afar, thank you.
Together, we're doing more than providing supplies and meeting immediate needs. We're reminding people that they matter, that their community cares, and that they are not forgotten.
You Are Important. Be The Hope.
With gratitude,
The YAIPAK Team
Support Our Mission: Every Donation Makes a Difference
Your generosity helps us continue to serve those in need, from disaster relief efforts to community outreach programs. Every donation, big or small, goes directly toward making a lasting impact in the lives of veterans, foster children, and families in crisis. If you’d like to support our mission, please consider donating today. Together, we can bring hope and change to our community.
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