RICHMOND, IN — Thanksgiving is one of the most special times of the year for families all across the United States, but many are unable to make a nice meal due to rising costs for turkeys and fixins.
The Richmond Housing Authority is helping local families once again this year with its annual Thanksgiving dinner meal kit giveaway, scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 25, from 3 to 5 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church, 1425 E. Main St.
The kits will contain similar items as in years past, including a whole, yours-to-cook turkey as well as sides such as mashed potatoes, cranberries and green beans.
Lindsay Freed, the housing authority’s coordinator for its Family Self-Sufficiency Program, said that the system will change slightly this year considering how many people were waiting outside in the cold to receive their kits.
“We’re also going to have access to the fellowship room and the long hallway between the fellowship room and the gym,” Freed said. “We will start letting people in at 2 p.m., an hour before the event starts, so that they can be indoors.”
Freed added that while people are waiting, there will be seating for up to 100 people and cookies and hot chocolate available in the waiting area.
Only housing authority residents (Merle Henderson, Jerry Geier, Bobby Smith, Southview and anyone receiving a Section 8 housing choice voucher) will be served from 3 to 4 p.m., while everyone else will be served starting at 4 p.m., although Freed said anybody can come in as early as needed to wait and secure seating.
While no IDs or proof of address was required last year, Freed said photo IDs will be required to ensure all recipients are 18-years-old and older to make sure they aren’t giving more than one kit per family.
This year’s contributors include Reid Health Community Benefit, St. Vincent de Paul Tri-County Good Samaritans, Christ Presbyterian Church, 3Rivers Federal Credit Union, DOT Foods, the Wayne County Family Resource Center and the Neighborhood Health Center, among others.
Resource tables will be set up at the event again this year, including those related to education, mental health and how people can get their taxes done for free.
Freed will also have a table set up for the authority’s Family Self-Sufficiency Program, which offers assistance with referrals to local services including job searching, skill building and transportation for health care to name a few.
“The goal of the FSS program is really to take a resident of the housing authority, somebody who needs that assistance paying their rent and to walk with them as they move towards their personal goals and financial self-sufficiency. The program can change lives.”
Evan Weaver is a news and sports reporter at The Palladium-Item. Contact him on X (@evan_weaver7) or email at eweaver@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Richmond Palladium-Item: Richmond Housing Authority holds Thanksgiving turkey giveaway
Reporting by Evan Weaver, Richmond Palladium-Item / Richmond Palladium-Item
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