Feeding our Community for Thanksgiving

Phillips66 Volunteers packing Thanksgiving boxes

Preparing to Serve

As we do every year, Target Hunger staff and volunteers spent much of October and the beginning of November preparing for a big Thanksgiving distribution. Volunteers joined us in the warehouse to pack boxes full of Thanksgiving food, including shelf-stable milk, boxed macaroni, and even a special dessert surprise! All together, we prepared boxes for 1,300 families for the holiday. At our distributions, these kindly-packed boxes were given to clients alongside boxes of fresh produce and a turkey!

Joshua and family

The first clients to receive their Thanksgiving goodies were homebound seniors, whose boxes were delivered straight to their doorstep through our DoorDash partnership. We are immensely grateful for this partnership that allows us to serve seniors and families unable to come to our pantry for food. Almost 300 families received Thanksgiving food this way. Hundreds of other families received their Thanksgiving distributions a one of our Community Partner Sites.

Feeding our Community for the Thanksgiving Holiday

Friday, November 18^th, was our first of three distributions. Wonderful team members from Kroger joined us in the 40-degree chill of the morning to load food into car trunks. The cold-weather couldn’t keep their joy at bay – they happily served over 100 families, including Joshua’s family. Joshua, his wife, and two sons expressed their gratitude for the holiday food. They were excitedly looking forward to the special meal, though older son, Joshua Jr., said he was still hoping to enjoy a PB&J instead of turkey as his main dish.

Jessica and her son

Our second distribution happened the following Monday, where we were joined by members of The Church Without Walls. This awesome group walked side by side with our clients to collect food and carry it to clients’ cars. The day was cold and rainy, but the volunteers served with a smile on their face and a warm greeting for each new person they helped. Over 150 families gratefully received their turkeys, including Jessica and her son, who promised us he would help his mom cook the turkey!

Edna

Tuesday was our last distribution and biggest day. Volunteers from Port Houston and Jack & Jill’s Houston Chapter arrived ready to go as clients lined up for blocks to receive their food. We served over 300 families on Tuesday, like Edna and her granddaughters. Edna, whose income is limited to her social security payments, said she was grateful for Target Hunger and the donors and volunteers that make the holidays special for families like hers.

Many clients expressed their thanks for the food as they drove through the line. More than food, they were grateful for a holiday where they didn’t have to worry, and could focus on being with those that matter most. We want to THANK YOU, for making these special days happen for our community and for making a difference in the lives of Joshua, Jessica, Edna, and the many other Houston families we serve. We truly could not do the work without you!