There are 766 families in Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop that could be sitting down to a Thanksgiving meal of hot dogs with macaroni and cheese.
With nine days left before the cutoff date to provide area food closets with requested turkeys for struggling families, the 22nd annual Turkeys R Us drive is 766 birds short
The shortfall was whittled down during the last two days with the donation of $1,750 and 37 frozen turkeys. With turkeys costing $15 each the donations from Wednesday and Thursday were enough to provide a traditional Thanksgiving meal to 146 families. So far the effort is enough to provide 234 of the 1,000 turkeys needed for Thanksgiving. An additional 1,000 turkeys and hams are needed for Christmas.
The requests made at area food closets are down from 200 last year reflecting better economic conditions. That said many of the requests for help made at this time are from people who don’t normally ask food closets for help. They often are seasonal workers or families that have seen living expenses spike such as unexpected medical bills.
In a bid to close the gap Doctors Hospital of Manteca is staging a turkey drive on Friday, Nov. 22, from 7 a.m. until noon in front of the hospital at 1205 East North Street. They will accept turkeys, canned food and monetary donations
The Turkeys R Us drive that has relied on community support to make sure no one has gone without a traditional Thanksgiving meal for the past 21 years needs 1,000 turkeys by Nov. 25 to make sure they are distributed to area food closets in time to be distributed to those in need for the holiday. An additional 1,000 turkeys or hams will also be needed for Christmas.
If there is a shortfall to provide Thanksgiving baskets the Second Harvest Food Bank will make sure those that requested food for the holiday will receive something even if it is hot dogs plus macaroni and cheese.
The community for the past 21 has delivered as Manteca has had 21 consecutive years of making sure all struggling families have a traditional holiday meal.
Frozen turkeys can be dropped off at Second Harvest Food Bank at 1220 Vanderbilt Circle off of Industrial Park Drive in Manteca Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Money donations can be made online at www.localfoodbank.org or dropped off or at Second Harvest.
If you have questions contact the food bank at 239.2091.
To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com
