BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — The spirit of giving is alive and well in Buffalo as dozens of local organizations and volunteers work to ensure no one goes hungry this Thanksgiving.
Buffalo City Mission is leading the charge with its annual Turkey Express program, partnering with Wegmans Food Markets to deliver thousands of holiday meals to families across Western New York. This year, the need is higher than ever, prompting the organization to increase its meal count by 500 to reach 5,500 total deliveries.
On Tuesday night, volunteers spent hours prepping hundreds of rolls and canned cranberry sauce. Wednesday brings one of the biggest tasks of the event: portioning pies for distribution.
"For tomorrow, we will be portioning the pies that we'll be sending out. That is a very large project, so we need to have a couple more hours to prep for that tomorrow," said Amanda Wolanske, donor engagement officer at Buffalo City Mission.
The increased demand reflects the challenging times many families are facing. Buffalo City Mission recognized this growing need and responded accordingly.
"In response to the increased need we're seeing, we felt that we needed to add more meals so we are doing 500 more meals than we did in prior years," Wolanske said.
For many recipients, these deliveries may be their only holiday visit. The meals reach families, seniors and individuals throughout the region who might otherwise go without a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
"There's a lot of people in need for Thanksgiving and I like knowing that I'm with a company that likes to help the community," said Brenda Hidalgo, a volunteer through Wegmans.
Eastern Hills Church members joined Wegmans employees in volunteering for the cause. Wegmans is providing meal components and funding to help Buffalo City Mission source products for Thanksgiving morning.
"We're providing components of the meal as well as being able to provide some funding so that the City Mission is able to source the product for Thanksgiving morning," said Michele Mehaffy, community and public relations manager at Wegmans.
The grocery chain wanted to do even more this year, given the widespread challenges families are facing.
"This year it's been very, very challenging for so many, and I know that the City Mission has stepped up and really taken that on and wanted to help the community more, so we just wanted to be right alongside with them," Mehaffy said.
For the Buffalo City Mission team, the effort extends beyond simply packing boxes. It's about ensuring everyone can participate in the Thanksgiving tradition.
"There's a lot of people that go without on Thanksgiving, and we just want to make sure everybody has a chance to have a nice meal and participate in the Thanksgiving and share in the spirit of it," Wolanske said.
The volunteer experience holds deep personal meaning for those involved. For Hidalgo, it connects to cherished family memories.
"Thanksgiving means a lot to me. It was very big in my family. My mother loved having the family surrounded in a big table and making a lot of food and feeding us and making sure that we're enjoying each other," Hidalgo said.
The collaborative spirit extends to the workplace culture at Wegmans as well.
"We work together, we all get along, we're like a family. Wegmans is like a family, so doing this is a big thing for us," Hidalgo said.
Those looking to give back this holiday season can find volunteer opportunities through Buffalo City Mission's website.
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