It’s Not Too Late to Donate a Thanksgiving Turkey

Thanksgiving may be coming up this week but it is not too late to donate a turkey or food to a local food bank in the area.

The United Food Bank is hosting their Thanksgiving donating event this week until Wednesday, November 26 and they have made it incredibly easy to get your donations to those who need it this year, said Donna Rodgers the food banks Director of Resource Development.

“They can literally drive up to our parking lot and we’ll have volunteers and staff available to take and receipt their donations so they don’t even have to get out of their cars,” said Rodgers.

Your Thanksgiving donations are not just limited Turkeys either. The United Food Bank is also asking for any of the extra fixings that you might pick up when shopping for your holiday meal, such as cranberry sauce or gravy mixes.

United Food Bank is located on 358 E. Javelina Avenue is Mesa. Volunteers will be available in the parking lot from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. for you to drop off your donations. For more information on the United Food Bank’s “Turkey Drive Thru” you can visit their website at http://www.unitedfoodbank.org/.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul alongside of 12 News and Bashas’ will be hosting their 15^th annual 12 News Turkey Day on Tuesday, November 25^th.

During this day from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., residents can drop off frozen turkeys at a number of Bashas and Food City grocery stores around the Valley. The stores will also be collecting monetary donations as well. You can also make an online donation on the St. Vincent de Paul website at http://www.stvincentdepaul.net/.

St. Mary’s food bank will be hosting their Holiday food drive this week as well. They have a number of locations across the Valley that will be accepting donations now through Wednesday, November 26^th. Turkeys can also be purchased and dropped off at any Trader Joes around from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. until Wednesday.

The St. Mary’s food bank has also planned a great way for families to have some fun on Thanksgiving Day while doing some good for the community as well.

The food bank will be hosting a Thanksgiving Day Block Party in Tempe from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, November 27^th. The cost for admission is just to bring a canned food item for the food bank to distribute to those in need.

The event will be held at the Tempe Sports Complex on Warner Road and Hardy Road. Miss Arizona Erin Nurss will be attending the event as well as a number of vendors. Attendees will also be treated to rides, music, and a fireworks display.

For any information on where to donate a Turkey or about the Thanksgiving Block Party you can visit the St. Mary’s website at http://www.firstfoodbank.org/.

By Heidi McLarty
Guest Contributor from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism

Technorati Tags: food donation, food drive, Thanksgiving, Turkey