Hometown organizations help those in need with Thanksgiving essentials
MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- With Thanksgiving just a day away, a couple of hometown organizations stepped up to help those in need.
Hunger Task Force teamed up with 7th District Alderman Khalif Rainey and 15th District Alderman Russell Stamper to give out hundreds of turkeys and other Thanksgiving essentials in the parking lot of Sherman Phoenix on Wednesday.
"You never know when you might be in need, so to just do a small thing like this, to volunteer your time, to be able to see people, to say hello, to give them turkeys, to see the smile on their face," Hunger Task Force Communications Manager Shahree Douglas said.
The drive-thru donation started at 11 a.m. and was on a first come, first serve basis. It was not just turkeys, there were hundreds of boxes of food, including eggs, milk, and hams.
"It's gratifying. It's a joy. It's an unbelieve experience, the joy that giving is. That's what the holidays are all about, starting with Thanksgiving," 7th District Alderman Khalif Rainey said.
This was not the only donation event in the area. At a Pick 'n Save in Oak Creek, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin held its annual Stuff the Bus campaign, asking for donations of non-perishable food items for pantries around the state.
Newly inducted Packers Hall of Famer LeRoy Butler was at the grocery store encouraging shoppers to donate to the cause he said once benefited him.
"If you're a kid in poverty -- one in four kids are in poverty -- you don't know what's going to be on that table on Thursday. You really don't know," Butler said. "But whatever is in this bag, my mom used to make it work. Even though we were living in poverty, my mom used to think like we were rich. We also thank the Lord for people giving to help people like me."
For more information on Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, visit their website.