RICHMOND, Va. β Multiple organizations across Central Virginia made sure families had hot meals for Thanksgiving Day during several turkey giveaway events Saturday.
Del. Mike Jones hosted his seventh annual turkey drive at River City Middle School on Richmond's Southside, giving away about 2,000 turkeys and boxes of stuffing from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"By 9:30 am, 10 o'clock, we had already got through 500 and then they been going out the door ever since," Jones said. "This year we're giving away our 9,000th turkey."
Jones worked with volunteers from the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and received support from Churchill Downs, Rosie's, Clean Virginia and several church partners. The event was free for anyone who drove up or walked up.
Cedar Baptist Church held its sixth annual giveaway on Saturday, passing out more than 500 turkeys to those in need despite rainy weather.
The Broken Men Foundation also distributed turkeys, blankets, shoes and other items.
"Every year we want to spread a little love and come across the river," Ellery Lundy, the group's president, said.
Steve Clark, the foundation's vice president, said the large turnout showed community need.
"It's a tad bit congested, but that's a good thing," Clark said. "It means that the community has a great need," Clark said.
Trinity Baptist Church spent the morning and afternoon handing out bags of food and gift cards for its Thanksgiving meal giveaway.
"There's no humility in it, it's only compassion that we're showing to them," Dianne Thorpe, a deacon at the church, said
Organizers said they have seen more people struggling to get by due to economic pressures like inflation and lingering impacts from the government shutdown.
"I mean roughly 60% of SNAP recipients have full-time jobs, but it's not meeting their full need," Jones said.
The increased need makes these donations more important before the holidays, organizers said. But food was not the only gift given away on Saturday.
"We're offering hope, we're offering love, we're offering compassion," Thorpe said.
Thorpe said the church focuses on helping people improve their situations.
"We give hand-ups. Our church legacy has always been to reach out and help somebody," Thorpe said.
Jones said the event was about more than just food.
"I always talk about the fact that it's better to be a small part of something big than a big part of something small," Jones said. "We sell hope. That's what we are providing and that's the cool thing about today."
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