Each year, Open Doors of Washington Township sponsors a Thanksgiving project where it provides Thanksgiving meals to families in need. This year, the food bank is seeking help from the public.
“A lot of Thanksgiving food giveaways you go in and sit down and the meal is prepared and you sit in the cafeteria and eat the meal with hundreds of other people,” said Carrie Larrison, the project coordinator. “Our belief is we want people to enjoy Thanksgiving with their family just like everybody else.”
The meals are given to the families the Saturday before Thanksgiving. Interested families must sign up ahead of time so Open Doors knows how many meals to provide. Applications are due Nov. 10 and can be found through the Good Samaritan Network or Open Doors.
Larrison said on average, Open Doors provides meals for 250 people for the Thanksgiving project. During the past few years, food donations have gone down and now Open Doors is asking the public for donations.
“I think there’s so much need all around, with other organizations and other charities, that people are stretched themselves to donate,” Larrison said.
Some organizations have already donated, including the Westfield Lions Club, the City of Westfield, the Rotary Club of Westfield, Wittler Orthodontics and the Westfield Washington Township Trustee’s Office.
To donate, email Larrison at [email protected].
Items needed
- 300 paper towels
- 350 cans of pineapple
- 350 cans of peaches
- 350 cans of cream of mushroom soup
- 350 cans of cream of chicken soup
- 300 cans of cranberry sauce
- 250 turkey oven bags
