The Food Bank of Northern Indiana has again doubled the number of turkeys it's giving out to people in need for Thanksgiving.
This is the third year the Food Bank is distributing turkeys at drive-up events throughout Michiana. In the first year, 2022, an avian flu outbreak made turkeys expensive, so Food Bank executive director Marijo Martinec says the nonprofit was happy to distribute 2,500 turkeys.
Last year, with no avian flu, they were able to double output to 5,000 turkeys.
This year in April they found a food broker willing to sell them turkeys at $10 each. Seeing more need in the community, the Food Bank set a goal to again double their giving to 10,000 birds, requiring them to raise $100,000. Martinec says they worked for months to solicit donations from corporate and individual donors, and WNDU last week helped raise money in a Day of Giving telethon atmosphere on the air.
"It's really important to a lot of people, especially those who struggle with hunger, people who are in need of food assistance," Martinec said. "Everybody wants to be like everybody else (on Thanksgiving)."
The Food Bank started distributing the turkeys Monday with two events in South Bend, one in Mishawaka and one in Rolling Prairie. Today they’ll be in Knox and Culver. The final event is on Monday November 25.
Recipients are asked to stay in their cars and pop the trunk to receive a turkey, limited to one per household.
Tuesday, Nov. 12:
- 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. CT, Knox United Methodist Church, 201 S. Shield St., Knox.
- 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, 430 Academy Road, Culver.
Wednesday, Nov. 13:
- 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. CT, H.O.P.E. Community Center, 222 McClelland Ave., Michigan City.
- 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., North Liberty Christian Church, 65225 SR 23, North Liberty.
- 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Jordan Auto Group/Jordan Ford, Commercial Truck Lot, 609 E. Jefferson Blvd., Mishawaka.
- 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. CT, Hope Center Food Pantry, 3901 N. 675 W., Michigan City.
Thursday, Nov. 14:
- 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Bourbon Helping Hands Food Pantry, 204 N. Washington St., Bourbon.
- 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., Shepherd’s Cove Food Pantry, 1010 E. Mishawaka Road, Elkhart.
- 12 p.m. – 1:30 p.m., Jane’s Park Playground, 600 Woodies Lane, Bremen,
- 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m., McCoy Memorial Baptist Church, 134 St. Clair Ave., Elkhart.
Friday, Nov. 15:
- 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Gospel Hill Church Food Pantry, 303 S. Jefferson, Silver Lake.
- 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., The former Helping Hands Food Pantry,10072 W. 600 South, Mentone.
- 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., God’s Highway to Heaven Church, 555 Webber St., Warsaw.
- 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., The Hub (formerly Bristol Community Food Pantry), 101 W. Vistula St., Bristol.
Saturday, Nov. 16:
- 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. CT, First Church of God, 2020 E. Lincolnway, LaPorte.
- 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Maple City Chapel, 2015 Lincolnway E., Goshen.
- 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Clayton Homes, 66700 SR 19, Wakarusa.
Monday, Nov. 18:
- 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. CT, Lighthouse Assembly of God, 505 Park Rd., Kingsford Heights.
- 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Kosciusko County Fairgrounds, 1400 E. Smith St., Warsaw.
- 12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. CT, Salvation Army – LaPorte, 3240 Monroe St., LaPorte.
- 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Leesburg Grace Brethren Church. 101 W. School St., Leesburg.
Friday, Nov. 22, 2024:
- 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. CT, Heartland Church, 6020 S. 300 E., Knox.
- 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Mount Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, 1620 S. St. Joseph St., South Bend.
- 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., Argos United Methodist Church, 570 N. Michigan St., Argos.
- 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., Walker Field, 2198 S. Walnut St., South Bend.
Saturday, Nov. 23:
- 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Food Bank of Northern Indiana, 702 Chapin St., South Bend
- 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., Liberty Elementary School, 600 Pregel Dr., Mishawaka.
- 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. CT, Marquette Mall, 201 W. US 20, Michigan City.
Monday, Nov. 25:
- 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., New Hope United Methodist Church, 28765 CR 4, Elkhart.
- 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., New Life Church, 11593 McKinley Hwy., Osceola.
