Seasonal & Holidays
SJ Charity Hits Thanksgiving Donation Goal Of 4,200 Turkeys
The meal donations helped feed roughly 16,800 people in the Silicon Valley. (Breaking)
SANTA CLARA COUNTY, CA – A San Jose nonprofit was able to collect more than enough turkeys and food to distribute to low-income individuals and families in time for Thanksgiving, a spokeswoman said Wednesday.
Sacred Heart Community Service hit its goal Wednesday of collecting 4,200 turkeys needed for the holiday, said fund development manager Jill Mitsch.
The organization's employees only had about 2,000 turkeys when they opened their freezer Monday morning at their offices on South First Street and Alma Avenue, Mitsch said.
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They turned to social media to ask for more donations, Mitsch said.
"It's always nerve-wracking, but we find historically it's that last push that gets the community to come together," she said.
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The gap was filled through numerous donations, including 1,000 turkeys that came from Presentation High School, she said.
Along with the turkeys, the organization also gives food boxes filled with nonperishable items such as canned foods and rice assembled over the weekend in addition to fruits and vegetables that can last for a week,
Mitsch said.
People are also given the option to take home a chicken or ham instead, according to Mitsch.
All the food can last for a week and roughly feeds about 16,800 people in all, she said.
Many people who benefit from the donated food are low-income, working families who are greatly affected by the high costs of living in Silicon Valley, Mitsch said.
A bulk of their paycheck goes to rent, leaving little leftover for utilities, food or holiday traditions such as Thanksgiving, she said.
They had to register three weeks ago for the Thanksgiving food boxes given by appointment between Monday and today, according to Mitsch.
Extra turkeys they've received will be stored for the Christmas distribution when they will give away 3,200 food boxes in addition to 18,600 toys for 6,200 children, she said.
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