By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – The annual Give Thanks collection is trying to give more this year.
Midwest Food Bank and Home Sweet Ministries are hoping to collect 2,000 turkeys to distribute this Thanksgiving. Home Sweet Home’s Chief Operating Officer Matt Burgess said the need is greater this year.
“It’s not just talking about food costs, we need to acknowledge the cost of housing, the cost of utilities, the cost of transportation,” Burgess said. “All of those costs are a big strain on low-income households.”
The two charities partnered with local churches in September on a Big Give Sunday promotion to collect all the trimmings for a Thanksgiving dinner.
“It was such a huge success and we were blessed so much we were able to pick up everything we need to go in those food boxes,” food bank operations manager Mike Hoffman said, pointing to a table of mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, green beans and cranberry sauce. “We need turkeys.”
Hy-Vee, Jewel-Osco and Vale Church in Bloomington will be selling turkey cards for $15, so donors won’t have to bring the turkey to the food bank or the shelter.
Distribution will be done at Home Sweet Home on Nov. 19 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Nov. 21 from 2 to 6 p.m.
Several hundred meals will also be delivered to shut-ins and served at the shelter on Thanksgiving day.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
