Tuscaloosa Groups Feed The Needy For Thanksgiving

TUSCALOOSA, AL. — This Thanksgiving will no doubt be the toughest one yet for many as the coronavirus pandemic rages on. But, despite the economic downturn and widespread sickness, several local groups did their parts to give back to those in need ahead of a day dedicated to giving thanks.

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A long line of cars formed on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard shortly before noon on Wednesday for the annual free turkey giveaway by dbanks poker — a Tuscaloosa-based clothing line founded by partners Darren Banks and Lonnie Cooper.

Roughly a dozen volunteers could be seen carrying frozen turkeys to the different vehicles and for the first time the charity effort on the part of the small company was held outside, despite a steady drizzling of rain.

"Every year we look forward to doing it," Banks told Patch. "Usually, what we do is inside [the McDonald Hughes Center] we have a meal prepared for the community and we raffle off the turkeys. But since COVID got in the way, we made it contactless and are just giving them out to the cars. It's just safer for both sides."

In total, Banks said the group hoped to give out more than 200 turkeys.

He then underscored the importance of giving back during a time when so many are in need, especially when his company is in a position to do so.

"People are still waiting on stimulus checks and there are people who lost their jobs," Banks said. "This is just a time to say we’re here, we’ve got your back and have a happy Thanksgiving."

Other groups also had similar giveaways, including the Tuscaloosa Police Department, which partnered with Beulah Baptist Church on Tuesday to give out more than 1,500 Thanksgiving meals.

Additionally, Chicago White Sox shortstop and Hillcrest High School alum Tim Anderson and his wife Bria donated 205 turkeys to Tuscaloosa families on Monday as part of the annual Homepla7e Turkey Drive, which was held at Hillcrest High School in a drive-thru format.

On the other side of the Black Warrior River, at the Robert Hasson Community Center, volunteers also prepared free Thanksgiving meals on Wednesday to feed the needy in Northport.

Northport businessman and District 2 Councilman Woodrow Washington headed up the effort, in part as a sponsor with Archibald and Woodrow's BBQ and Archibald's.

"We’re just here in Northport District 2, trying to give back for Thanksgiving," Washington told Patch as he prepared a boxed meal. "We plan on doing 300-400 plates, we’re going to go out and drop some of them off in the community."

Washington also thanked the sponsors who made the giveaway possible, including South's Finest Meats, Merchant Food Services and Northport Mayor Bobby Herndon.

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