Hundreds of Thanksgiving turkeys and other holiday meal items were donated on Saturday by more than a dozen organizations coming together to provide cheer to some upstate New Yorkers in need.
A long line formed outside Syracuse’s Greater New Testament Missionary Baptist Church to get one of the approximately 350 turkeys, Syracuse.com reported.
The majority of the turkeys were contributed by a group of Brooklyn organizations, former city councilman Mike Atkins told the outlet.
The groups — Build 2Gether, Mavis Reid Foundation and Larry Foundation — purchased 275 frozen turkeys and bussed them upstate to Syracuse. According to the organizers, the turkey drive has grown bigger each time they’ve participated in the last four years since they started.
Around 75 additional turkeys were given by other donors, as well as some chickens, hams, and non-perishable items.
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“It is a blessing,” local resident Bobbie-Jeannie Willis said as she waited in line, expressing her gratitude for the help during these trying economic times.
According to Syracuse Police Sgt. Marcellus Roundtree, officials expect to have a few hundred people stop by to pick up food as families are struggling to get by in the wake of coronavirus lockdowns and inflation.
While people waited in line in the cold for as long as two hours to get a turkey, a local food truck helped to keep them warm by grilling up free hot meals.
Christos Stelios, chef and owner of the Congo Box food truck, told the outlet that it was a blessing to have the opportunity to give back to his community and was aiming to cook 300 free meals to serve to guests.