Catholic Community Services Thanksgiving food drive gobbles up donated turkeys

Friday, Nov. 14, 2014

OGDEN — One thousand three hundred turkeys.

That’s how many Catholic Community Services of Northern Utah requires to meet the expected demand for Thanksgiving baskets this year to those in need.

The baskets have been distributed for the past five years, and while demand remains the same, this year the need is a bit bigger because the Utah Food Bank, which in previous years provided 800 turkeys to CCS, is only able to commit 100 this season, said Marcie Valdez, director of CCS Northern Utah, which runs the Joyce Hansen Hall food bank.

“That’s a significant decrease [and] we are anticipating that we will have around 1,300 families signed up,” said Valdez. 

She explained that some of those families are the regular clients of the food bank, but CCS also accepts referrals from partners such as Community Action Program and the Salvation Army.

Being given provisions for a holiday meal “means so much for our families,” Valdez said. “For families in poverty  that are struggling every day to put food on their table, it is really difficult to even think about the extra meals like this [Thanksgiving].”

The Thanksgiving food basket that CCS provides contains not only the turkey but also green beans and corn, stuffing cranberry sauce, cranberry juice, butter, eggs and fresh potatoes.

“We have been really lucky not to just be able to provide the turkey but all the ingredients for a real meal,” said Valdez.

CCS has partnered with United Way of Northern Utah to accept turkey donations at their locations every week day between now and the holiday.

‘”We hate to think of having to turn any  family away for Thanksgiving. …  Our goal is to do anything that we can to encourage our community to buy an extra turkey when they are doing their Thanksgiving shopping  to share with a family in need,” said Valdez.

Cash donations also are accepted.

“For some people it’s easiest to send a cash donation so we can go and buy the turkeys. Anything that they can do for these families in need truly means a lot for those families,” said Valdez.

Thanksgiving is a magical time of the year, Valdez added. “It’s a way to celebrate what we have and maybe sharing with those who have less  is a way to say thank you.”

Donations for the CCS Thanksgiving baskets may be dropped off Monday through Saturday between 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at United Way, 2955 Harrison Blvd., or week days between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. at Catholic Community Services, 2504 F Ave. in Ogden.

For information, call 801-394-5944.