Samaritan Center to give away 2,000 turkey dinners by Thanksgiving

The Samaritan Center in Jefferson City expects to give away more than 2,000 turkey dinners by Thanksgiving.

The center is a faith-based food pantry that provides for the human needs of the area’s poor.

Every month, people come to the Samaritan Center and are given groceries. In November, they are also given a Thanksgiving meal.

Jefferson City resident Donna Bosch says she could never have given her grandchildren a Thanksgiving dinner without the Samaritan Center’s help.

“If I didn’t get the Samaritan Center’s Thanksgiving meal, I probably wouldn’t have as much as I would otherwise,” she said. “I might have to have a chicken. I wouldn’t have a turkey for Thanksgiving.”

Samaritan Center volunteers say they are in need of turkeys and other Thanksgiving meal items.

If you would like to donate, they recommend that you purchase the item at one of the area grocery stores that they have partnered with.

“They can buy a turkey at Schultes or Hy-Vee and those stores will deliver it to us. They don’t even have to mess with it,” said Marylyn DeFeo of the Samaritan Center.

The Samaritan Center volunteers say they can always use extra help this time of year.

“Always, we can use volunteers in the pantry, the warehouse, carrying the groceries out and helping people,” said DeFeo.

You can call 573-634-7776 for how to volunteer or donate.