(Update) Foodshare In Need of Turkeys and Twenties

Update, Nov. 20, 11:30 p.m.

Although grateful for the donations that came in on Sunday, Foodshare is still 1,270 turkeys short of being able to meet the need of families in Tolland and Hartford counties that are expecting a delivery on Monday afternoon.

According to the organizations website, it received hundreds of turkeys and thousands of dollars on Sunday, yet, even with the new influx of turkeys and cash, the nonprofit is 5,270 turkeys and $326,038 short of reaching it's overall Thanksgiving goal.

In its own words:

"Still short 1,270 turkeys for Monday’s afternoon distribution, Foodshare, along with 1,270 families depending on the food bank this holiday season, are waiting for a miracle. Then, another 4,000 are needed for Foodshare’s last distribution on Tuesday afternoon. If turkeys are not received by early afternoon Tuesday, they cannot safely reach, and be thawed by, families for Thanksgiving.

While many of Connecticut’s residents will be sitting down on Thursday to give thanks for the feast before them, others will be reminded of what they don’t have – a warm meal to share with family and friends. It’s all hands on deck, and the organization is urging the public to run out tonight and donate as many turkeys as possible."

For more information how and where to donate log onto the organization's website at www.foodshare.org.

If you're in the Manchester area stop on over at the Highland Park Market on Highland Street between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to donate a turkey to the DRC-FM crew that will be collecting food for the food bank.

Update, Nov. 19 at 6 p.m.

Just about 10,500 more turkeys and $360,000 to go.

Foodshare was able to collect 1,303 turkeys and $57,879 during a focused effort Saturday to boost the regional food bank's inventory of Thanksgiving fixings that will be distributed to those in need within Hartford and Tolland counties, according to its website.

Foodshare, located in Bloomfield, distributed 1,500 turkeys Saturday, but the distribution left the food bank's freezer nearly bare with 4,500 turkeys still needed for Monday morning.

For more information on how and where to donate log onto the agency's website at www.foodshare.org.

Original story, Nov. 18

If you’ve got a turkey and a twenty, then Foodshare could really use your help.

With just days before the region’s largest food bank sets out to distribute the fixings for a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner to needy families in Tolland and Hartford counties, the organization is nowhere near its goal of collecting 19,000 turkeys and accepting $800,000 in donations.

In fact it has 11,822 more turkeys to go and $381,083 left to collection in cash donations, according to its website.

“I know I speak for the entire Board when I say how dire the situation has become,” Foodshare Chair-Elect Greg Garger said in a news release. 

“Every year, the generosity of greater Hartford residents makes Thanksgiving dinner possible for thousands of local families. Unfortunately, despite the continued generosity of many residents, this year has presented more hurdles than expected, with devastating storms back to back and an unstable economy to boot,” he said.

“But allowing families to go without Thanksgiving cannot be the solution. As a result, Foodshare’s volunteer Board has offered to fund an additional 2,000 turkeys, if donors can help provide 17,000 turkeys by Monday evening,” Garger said. 

With commitments to provide turkeys to its partners for 1,534 families on Saturday and another 4,500 families on Monday, Foodshare is relying on the local community to go into grocery stores and purchase as many as they can afford.

Here’s where you can help in our Patch region:

• All Highland Park Market stories are collecting turkeys this weekend from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.; at the an additional collection day is Monday from 4 – 7 p.m.

• In the Plantsville section of Southington, turkey donations will be collected from 7 a.m. until 9 p.m. at .

• For a complete list of participating grocery stores in the two counties log onto the Foodshare website or call (860) 286-9999. You can donate online, too.

• Of course, if you’re in the Bloomfield area you can always venture over to the Foodshare warehouse on Woodland Avenue. Collection times are from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. this weekend, from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday and from 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. on Wednesday.

• If you’re more prone to donating your time than your money, there is a list of ways to support Foodshare’s mission “to create effective solutions to end hunger in all 42 towns of Hartford and Tolland counties” there is a list of ways to help on the organizations website: www.foodshare.org.