The most loyal contributors to the Turkeys R US campaign — a 17-year-old effort to make sure no family in Manteca, Ripon and Lathrop goes without the traditional holiday turkey at Thanksgiving and Christmas — are those who know tough times.

Perhaps a dozen seniors that lived through the Great Depression and are now on fixed incomes that consist primarily of Social Security checks will set aside an average of $10 a month for 10 months so they can make sure none of their neighbors — almost all who’ve they have never met — don’t go without this Thanksgiving.

The Turkeys R Us drive has collected enough so far to distribute 1,314 turkeys for struggling families in Manteca, Lathrop, and Ripon for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

On Thursday, the effort received $620 in cash and 30 frozen turkeys. That leaves the 17th annual drive short 586 turkeys. Turkeys R Us is able to buy frozen turkeys for $12 each. 

The list of recipients run the gamut from families who have been living paycheck to paycheck and are barely keeping afloat who don’t see food assistance except at the holidays, to struggling families headed by single moms, seniors on fixed income, families where the head of household has lost jobs or that have suffered serve cutbacks in hours or pay, and families dealing with a major financial crisis triggered by health issues.

Frozen turkeys can be taken to Second Harvest at 704 E. Industrial Park Drive in  Manteca Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monetary donations can be made online at www.localfoodbank.org or dropped off or mailed to Second Harvest, Coldwell Banker 319 N. Main St. Manteca, or Beacon Realty 211 E. Center St. Manteca.