Calling all turkeys! Common Heart is seeking donations to provide 1,500 frozen turkeys with all the fixin’s to 1,500 families facing food insecurity so they can prepare their own Thanksgiving feasts. It’s the 17^th annual Great Turkey Countdown! 

This volunteer-driven event is Common Heart’s biggest delivery day and continues to grow, Executive Director Keith Adams said, especially this year as more families face hunger as food prices go up and government assistance has decreased. 

“Even after the COVID crisis has abated, our pantries continue to see large increases in the number of families seeking help with groceries. At Benton Heights Presbyterian Church in Monroe, for example, volunteers are now serving an average of 80+ families each week, up from their typical 30-35 families. Our evening pantry at Union United Methodist Church in Wesley Chapel recently set a record of serving 127 families in one night and are consistently seeing more than 100 families each week,” Adams said. “It’s getting harder to make sure we have enough canned and nonperishable food to serve these neighbors. This Thanksgiving in addition to collecting donations and nonperishables for that feast we are looking for churches and organizations to host regular food drives as we prepare for winter.” 

A $40 donation provides a frozen turkey and the fixin’s for one family. To donate online visit Turkeys.CommonHeart.org or mail a check (payable to Common Heart) to: PO Box 2761, Indian Trail, NC 28079. Write “Turkeys” in the memo line.

Nonperishables like canned green beans, stuffing mix, cranberry sauce, macaroni & cheese, dessert mixes and jello can be dropped off at the nonprofit’s main office, 116 Business Park Drive, Suite A in Indian Trail, from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday to Friday & 8 a.m.- Noon on Saturdays. Beginning Nov. 15, residents can also drop off frozen turkeys. 

Follow the progress of the Great Turkey Countdown on Facebook at: Facebook.com/TheCommonHeart. 

“This event absolutely wouldn’t happen without volunteers — literally hundreds of them,” Adams said. “This day is all about neighbors serving neighbors and promoting a small revolution of kindness in our community.” 

At least 500 volunteers will be needed on Saturday, Nov. 18 to deliver the 1,500 Thanksgiving dinner baskets and work onsite in Indian Trail & Marshville to load vehicles. Volunteers can sign up online at: Turkeys.CommonHeart.org. 

The baskets will benefit families throughout Union County, Matthews and Mint Hill. If your family needs a Thanksgiving basket, fill out an application online by Oct. 31 at: Turkeys.CommonHeart.org or call 704-218-9060 between 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday.