With the need for food in Arizona greater than ever, and Thanksgiving just around the corner, many families might still go hungry—unless more donors help the United Food Bank.
“Last year, we only had 4,500 turkeys to help feed the hundreds of thousands of people that needed help,” stated Mesa’s United Food Bank Chief Development Officer Lisa Goin. About 2,000 turkeys were donated, and the Food Bank bought another 2,500. These were not enough, however.
“Some agencies did not get any turkeys, others just a few,” Lisa continued. The United Food Bank would have needed another 7,500 turkeys to fill the urgent requests from agencies, such as soup kitchens, churches and homeless shelters.
“The need for food is increasing every year,” Lisa said. “We find people seeking food who, in past years, were donors. Now, they are needing turkeys themselves.” One out of four children goes to bed hungry in Arizona.
“We are hoping people could come to the Food Bank, and make a donation right here,” Lisa suggested. “Or offices and churches, if they are considering a charity for the holidays, could collect food in a turkey drive for us.”
The United Food Bank is facing a huge task this winter season. It serves some 240 agencies in a territory encompassing 25,000 square miles. This is one-third of the geographical area of Arizona, including Maricopa County. A great amount of food is needed, and monetary donations are welcome.
“A $5 donation helps us feed 20 people,” Lisa pointed out. “We get special discounts from producers and distributors. So, we can stretch a dollar very far.” No donations are too little.
And no gratitude is too big. “We get letters from people, saying ‘You can’t imagine what this food means to a mother of five living on a social security check,’ or ‘This is a blessing for us, because now my children don’t only eat in school.’”
“I always have to think about the story of the mom who was making tomato soup for her children with ketchup packages and water,” Lisa reflected. “This is why we want to do everything we can to give everybody a happy Thanksgiving.”
Bring a frozen turkey, nonperishable food or a cash donation to the United Food Bank this season. Even better, organize a food drive at work or church. Get the Turkey Drive Success Packet, consisting of promotion materials, from the Web site at www.unitedfoodbank.org.
Conduct a Food Drive for the United Food Bank
United Food Bank will extend its hours to accept donations at their facility, located at 245 S. Nina Drive. For more information, call (480) 926-4897.
Bring a frozen turkey, other traditional holiday food, such as canned vegetables, boxed stuffing, packaged mashed potatoes or cash donations, during the following hours:
Saturday, Nov. 12:
8 a.m. to noon
Monday – Friday, Nov. 14 through 18:
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 19:
8 a.m. to noon
Monday – Wednesday, Nov. 21 through 23:
8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Additionally, people can bring donations to the Dana Park shopping center, located at Val Vista Drive and Baseline Road, on Nov. 12, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., where a large refrigerated truck will be at the site to collect the donations.
For offices, school groups, clubs and retail locations wishing to host their own food drive, United Food Bank has published a list of ideas for contests and provides gobble grams to give to donors. All information and downloadable forms can be found at www.unitedfoodbank.org.