Thanksgiving meals served to Coachella Valley
UPDATE: 6:28 p.m.
For the first time, Cristal Salcido is spent her Thanksgiving cooking up memories with others at Fish Food Bank in Coachella Wednesday. “It really fosters this feeling of wanting to give,” Salcido said. “So, it’s really rewarding to provide this help to families. A lot of families here in the eastern Coachella Valley really need our help.” Partnering with FIND Food Bank, volunteers spent much of Wednesday serving up Thanksgiving meals, for those who may not be able to on their own. “Something happens,” FIND Food Bank Donor Relations Officer Theresa Jewitt said. “Something comes up. Something medical. The brakes need to be fixed in the car, and all of a sudden, they can’t make it to the grocery store. They don’t have enough to make it through the end of the month.” Jewett said with the help of local donations, including from supermarket chains like Albertsons, they were able to fill carts at Fish Food Bank with more than 150 turkeys and 200 side items. Even other organizations like the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission are spending the holiday preparing feasts for up to 2,000 people. “Our goal is to collaborate together, work together and be able to meet those needs,” Coachella Valley Rescue Mission Food Service Manager Matt Gawn said. “We’re not here to take away, or work against. We’re here to work together.” Giving to those who are thankful, to have a meal to add to the memories. “These sort of actions of kindness really go a long way,” Salcido said. “Especially, nowadays, where we see just a lot of bad things on the news. So, when you see things like this, it really is inspiring and uplifts everyone.” Both FIND Food Bank and the Rescue Mission are in need of donations this holiday season, including produce and breakfast items. For links to both organizations, see the original version of this story below.
———-
ORIGINAL STORY: 4:58 p.m.
The Coachella Valley Rescue Mission in Indio expects to serve between 1,500 to 2,000 meals over the course of two days for the Thanksgiving holiday.
The CVRM was busy working Wednesday, serving hundreds throughout the valley during a Thanksgiving eve dinner from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The rescue mission isn’t taking a long pause from spreading goodwill; a breakfast is planned Thursday morning at 6 a.m. with a Thanksgiving dinner to follow at 2 p.m.
With the help of FIND Food Bank, volunteers with Fish Food Bank said Wednesday they collected more than 150 turkeys and 200 side items to serve to local families.
KESQ News Channel 3’s Zak Dahlheimer spoke with volunteers at the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission and to officials at local food banks that have been collecting food through local donations. He’ll also have more information about local supermarket chains joining the effort to feed the Coachella Valley this Thanksgiving Day.
You can see how all the goodwill is converging on the Coachella Valley on KESQ News Channel 3 at 6 p.m. and on CBS Local 2 at 6:30 p.m.
