(BALDWIN COUNTY, Ala.) Thanksgiving day is a little over a week away and as always, the resources and the need to help others seem to be greater every year. Across the coast,local non profits are already gearing up for the holiday. Demand for food seems to be significant at the Prodisee Pantry where 1700 families will be fed for Thanksgiving.
Foley Elementary also sponsors an event called the Turkey Take Out. Their numbers have doubled, now up to more than 1,000 families. Tuesday hundreds of low income families came to the Prodisee Pantry in Spanish Fort.
This year there are more people than ever. "They come from all over Baldwin County. It may surprise people to know that 35% come from the Eastern Shore, another 40% come from North Baldwin and the rest are spread throughout the county and we work really hard with other social service programs to make sure no families are missed at Thanksgiving, " said Deann Servos, Executive Director at the pantry.
Every Tuesday is distribution day here. On this day, turkeys and hams are included. "Its hard and when you have a family and you are raising that family and you get a certain amount of money and all your money goes towards your rent, your utilities, so when they have something like this it makes you feel a lot better, " said Pamela Whitehead from Loxley.
Also in Baldwin County, students at Foley Elementary sorted out canned food donations in preparation for the 3rd annual Turkey Take Out, where turkey's are smoked and delivered on Thanksgiving day. "The first year we fed 350 people .
We smoked turkeys and had complete dinners we delivered to homes. Last year we delivered to 500. We were planning 750 but already the need has reached over 1,000 for Thanksgiving to 1,050 and it may go even higher by then, " said Dr. Bill Lawrence, Principal at Foley Elementary. Both the Prodisee Pantry and the Turkey Take Out are looking for volunteers and more canned food.
The Turkey Take Out has a Fill the School Bus drive at the Foley Walmart on Saturday. The pantry always accepts donations. For more information, go to Local15tv.com. Click on the Find It section. Http://turkeytakeout.com/ and http://www.prodiseepantry.org/
