WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) – It\u2019s all hands on deck at the Urban Mission.<\/p>\n
Preparations are being made for Saturday\u2019s huge turkey giveaway.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is over the top. We are super excited,\u201d said Cher VanBrocklin, Executive Director of the Watertown Urban Mission.<\/p>\n
One thousand turkeys are up for grabs. That\u2019s double the initial 500 that were set to be given away to Medicaid recipients.<\/p>\n
Several organizations, including the Urban Mission, Healthy Alliance, and Modify Health, helped organize the event.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou go in excited, and then maybe that excitement breeds more excitement,\u201d said Healthy Alliance CEO Erica Coletti.<\/p>\n
The other 500 turkeys are donations from Samaritan Medical Center. It\u2019s been treating its staff members with turkey for decades.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat better way to bring that appreciation to our community, those in need, who could really use the help this season, by donating another 500 to the community for an already popular giveaway,\u201d said Leslie DiStefano, Spokesperson with Samaritan Medical Center.<\/p>\n
The turkeys will be given to those on Medicaid. Organizers say they\u2019ll be getting much more than the Thanksgiving staple.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re getting not only the food now for the holidays, but they\u2019re going to get plugged in for, potentially, benefits up to six months, even up to a year\u2019s worth of food depending on their eligibility,\u201d said Rafael Cavour, Vice President of Healthcare Partnerships at Modify Health.<\/p>\n
Price Chopper also joined in on the giving, donating a $500 gift card and 80 bags of groceries to the Urban Mission food pantry.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had 727 households come through just from November 1 to November 20, and 220 of those were new families, have never been to the food pantry before, so that kind of shows you the increase in need,\u201d said VanBrocklin.<\/p>\n
Those with Healthy Alliance, which works to improve health in communities that are facing barriers, hope those who come for a turkey leave with more knowledge and resources.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll be there to screen folks too, so that if we can get into folks who are eligible for these other services, that can continue, housing support, utility support for up to six months if someone is eligible. If we can talk to folks and find out, there are ways that can go beyond this holiday season,\u201d said Coletti.<\/p>\n
The giveaway will be held at the J.B. Wise Pavilion. It starts at 10 a.m. Saturday, November 22, and goes until all 1,000 turkeys have been given out. <\/p>\n
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