Thanksgiving is just over a month away, but one organization is already preparing to feed those in need during the holiday.
The Food Bank of Delaware’s annual Thanksgiving food and funds drive is underway.
“We are working hard to make sure that we can collect food for our network of partners and the people that they serve, so that no Delawarean goes without a Thanksgiving meal this season,” said Kim Turner, the communications director for the Food Bank.
She explains why the annual drive is so important to the agency and its partners, “We all know that hunger exists year-round in Delaware and across the nation. But I think especially at the holiday time, families are gathering around the table and we don’t want to see anyone go without a holiday meal. So we’re working extra hard to make sure that we can meet the demand for people who need our assistance.”
Donations can be dropped off at the Food Bank’s locations in Newark and Milford. Turner asks that all donations be made at least a week prior to Thanksgiving.
"We also are encouraging organizations - schools, churches and different community groups - to host food drives. We can drop off a barrel to your location and then you can collect items for a certain amount of time,” Turner added.
Turner says if a group collects at least 20 boxes or bags of food, the Food Bank will send a driver out to pick them up.
Turner says the items most needed during the Thanksgiving drive, include applesauce, cranberry sauce, canned gravy, boxes of stuffing, canned pumpkins, graham cracker pie crusts, mashed potatoes, corn muffin mix, canned sweet potatoes and yams and turkey pans - just to same a few.
Turner says the Food Bank collected close to 10-million-pounds of food during last year’s annual food and funds drive. She notes there’s currently more than 117,000 food-insecure Delawareans.
