TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — This Thanksgiving, a thousand families in the Big Bend will not have to worry about having enough money to put food on their tables.
Through the ABC 27 Turkey Drive benefiting Second Harvest those families will receive meal boxes with a turkey and all the sides.
Through increased community support, ABC 27, The Second Harvest of the Big Bend, and their partners collected 1,003 frozen turkeys. The event also raised over $37,000, all to help provide Thanksgiving meals to 1,000 families.
“I'm always so blown away by how people in Tallahassee show up to make sure their neighbors do not have to go without. This year's Turkey Drive serves as a great reminder of just how special this city is.” said ABC 27 News Director Vicki Bradley.
Throughout the day ABC 27 highlighted the spirit of giving with hourly cut-ins with calls for donations.
Live coverage from the all-day event also highlighted donations from local businesses, organizations, first responders and families. Donations were accepted Downtown at Ponce De Leon Park and Bannerman Crossing in Tallahassee.
The day-long giving event capped off with a $10,000 live donation and an additional 43 turkeys from sponsor Searcy, Denney, Scarola, Barnhart and Shipley Attorneys at Law.
“At ABC 27, we believe in giving back to our community. We could not accomplish something like Turkey Drive without the support of our viewers.” Stated ABC 27 General Manager Matt Brown.
The ABC 27 Turkey Drive is a critical part of the station’s partnership with the Second Harvest of the Big Bend and has become one of the largest fundraisers for the charity. Since 2020 ABC 27 has helped raise over $386,000 to help fight food insecurity in the Big Bend.
Currently, Second Harvest provides vital services to nearly 100,000 people, including 20,700 kids, in 11 counties across the area.
The annual fundraiser is only part of ABC 27’s dedication to giving back to the communities it serves. Since 2019 the station has raised more than $62,000 though employee contributions and community donations as part of the Scripps Howard Foundation’s “If You Give a Child a Book …” campaign, providing students at Tallahassee’s Riley Elementary with new books to help improve literacy.
The station has also donated $40,000 to Big Brothers and Big Sister of the Big Bend, to support its mission to provide children facing adversity with strong, professionally supported relationships, both virtual and in-person, that change their lives for the better.
