Turkeys R Us is just 300 turkeys away from their goal of making sure 1,300 struggling families in Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop have a turkey on their Thanksgiving table.

The 12th annual community-based drive has raised $9,195 plus 100 actual turkeys that were donated as of Tuesday at noon. The order for Thanksgiving needs to be placed by weekend to assure they can be delivered and then distributed to community food closets in time for Thanksgiving.

“It’s starting to look good for Thanksgiving,” said Turkeys R Us coordinator Sue Teunissen.

Several people who have given consistently upped their donations this year noting their financial situation had improved this year. Other donations in the past day include $1,200 from Center Appliance and $401 from Manteca Soroptimists.

The Turkeys R US effort also needs to raise funds to buy the same number of turkeys for Christmas meals.

A number of people take the free turkeys they get for buying a set amount of food at supermarkets during the holidays and donate that to the effort.

Donations (make checks out to Turkeys R Us) can be dropped off at Coldwell Banker Crossroads offices at 319 Main Street near North Street in Manteca or 15810 S. Harlan Road in Lathrop or the Second Harvest Food Bank, 704 E. Industrial Park Drive in Manteca.

If you want to donate a frozen turkey or ham, take it directly to the food bank

For more information contact Crossroads Real Estate at 823-8141 or the food bank at 239-2091.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, e-mail dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com