SCRANTON, Pa. — For nearly 50 years, Friends of the Poor has dished out thousands of meals for its annual Thanksgiving Community dinner. Once again, the annual tradition of the dinner and Family to Family food basket program continues takeout style, offering 3,500 meals and 3,500 food baskets to people in need.
"It really means the world to us because it's the chance for us to get back to our roots and remind us who we are and why we were created and we are here for the community," said Meghan Loftus, president and CEO of Friends of the Poor.
Over the past couple of years, the costs of running the programs have increased, as has the need.
"Costs go up every year, but they've gone up pretty incredibly, as well as being able to get the supplies we need. There have been a lot of supply chain issues, and we're not always able to get everything we need, so we have to start planning months and months in advance," Loftus said.
To help in the efforts, the CEO Weinberg Northeast Regional Food Bank stepped in to provide turkeys for the meals.
"It was so important for us to fill this gap they had this year because of the overwhelming need that we're seeing throughout the counties we serve. When Meghan approached us about additional turkeys, we were more than happy to provide them," said Jennifer Warabak, executive director of the CEO Weinberg Food Bank.
The Catherine McAuley Center has joined the cause for the first time this year to help with donations and provide volunteers for both events.
"The mission, the values they hold, the care and spirit and camaraderie that come along with the event, that feeling is unmatchable," said Krista Murray, executive director of the Catherine McAuley Center.
The organizations welcome donations of any kind to continue their mission of helping families during the holidays. Loftus is still worried that, in the end, they won't be able to help everyone.
"I think there will be a lot more people, and we'll just have to do our best to cover as much as we can and make things stretch as far as we can," Loftus said.
The Thanksgiving dinner meals will be given out on Tuesday, November 21, followed by the Family-to-Family food baskets on Wednesday, November 22.