With inflation stretching many food budgets, area organizations, businesses and food pantries are busy preparing to provide Thanksgiving dinners to those in need in the area. There are sign-up deadlines for most meals, and here’s a breakdown of many of them, as well as some holiday meal deals:
Attleboro
The Attleboro Moose Lodge and Family Center is hosting its 20th annual Thanksgiving dinner for the Attleboro community on the holiday. Food will be served between noon and 2pm on Thursday at the lodge at 241 Thacher St. Food will also be delivered to Attleboro residents between 10:30 a.m. and noon.
“A significant portion of the dinners we deliver are for seniors and people with disabilities,” said President Amanda Vose.
Call the lodge at 774-331-2836 between 3am and 9pm to reserve dinner at the lodge, schedule delivery or volunteer. The deadline is Monday.
The center has provided about 500 meals to families and individuals each of the past 19 Thanksgivings. The dinners are made possible by many donations, supporters and fundraising.
Foxborough
Personal Best Karate and its Personal Best charity is hosting its 28th annual Turkish Brigade this weekend. About 300 volunteers of all ages will meet Saturday at 1 p.m. at the Foxboro Regional Charter School, 131 Central St., to pack more than 2,000 Thanksgiving dinner baskets for more than 6,000 area residents in need.
Food items are collected at Norton schools and by business and other sponsors. The New England Patriots cheerleaders, junior high cheerleaders and Pat Patriot, the Patriots mascot, will be in attendance.
The 28 organizations benefiting include the Council on Aging, Schools, Health Department, New Hope and Hebron Food Pantry in Attleboro; St. Vincent de Paul in Attleboro, North Attleboro and Seekonk, as well as food pantries in Norton and Mansfield, Norton Human Services and the Joe Andruzzi Foundation.
Also in Foxboro, the senior center offers its traditional turkey sandwiches on Tuesdays at 3:45 p.m. Cost is $4 per person. Sign up at the center.
Mansfield
Friends of the Elderly’s annual Family Thanksgiving Dinner will continue for the 37th year on Thursday. Local and area residents — individuals and families — are invited to join the free home-cooked dinner from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Congregational Church, 17 West St., Mansfield, across from South Common.
This event is open to area residents including Mansfield, Foxboro, Norton, Plainville, Attleboro and North Attleboro. Dinner reservations are helpful but not required. To make your reservation, call Randy Pickus at 508-851-9414 or email [email protected] no later than Friday.
Mansfield residents who are unable to attend but would like to have their Thanksgiving meal delivered by volunteers or would like to arrange to have their meal picked up at the church should also contact Pickus.
Donations are greatly appreciated as the meal is made possible by the generosity of many individuals and businesses in Mansfield and the surrounding towns. They can be sent to Friends of the Elderly, c/o Randy Pickus, 2 Fairfield Park, Mansfield, MA 02048.
Norton
First Choice Healthcare, a new hospice agency, is partnering with Residences at Great Woods, 190 Mansfield Ave., for a Thanksgiving food drive to benefit local seniors.
Drop off donations by Friday at the facility or at Market Basket, 1200 Newport Ave. in South Attleboro. Seniors at Great Woods Residences will help prepare food baskets for the local senior center.
Somewhere else
South Walpole United Methodist Church is once again delivering Thanksgiving meals to area residents. Meals are delivered to residents in Foxborough, Wrentham, Norfolk, Franklin and Walpole, but deliveries near the cities can be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, organizers said. By Thursday, November 16, send names and contact information of those in need to Dianne Langer at [email protected] or, if needed, call her at 508-212-1218.
Norfolk County Register Food Drive
The Norfolk County Register of Deeds is holding its annual holiday food giveaway through December 14th.
Non-perishable food items can be dropped off weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. in the lobby of the Registry of Deeds at 649 High St. in Dedham. Suggested donations include canned goods, cereal, pasta, sauces, toiletries and paper products.
If you cannot make it to the registry building, we advise you to check the registry website at www.norfolkdeeds.org for a pantry location in your community.
“There are people all over the county who are really hurt,” said William O’Donnell of the Register of Deeds. “This year we, as a community, have seen an increasing demand for food assistance and it is extremely important that we come together to support those in need.”
According to the latest statistics from Project Bread, 18.8% of Massachusetts households are considered food insecure, and 21.9% of children in the state are also considered food insecure.
“With the holidays coming up, there’s definitely a need for more food assistance,” O’Donnell said. “Household spending is higher due to the cost of home heating fuel, food bills and higher interest rates. Some families in Norfolk County are being hit harder by these increased costs and are worried about putting food on the table during the holiday season.
Patucket District
The Little Sisters of the Poor of Pawtucket are seeking donations during their annual turkey drive at the Jeanne Jugan Residence, 964 Main St. Frozen turkeys can be donated from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Saturday. For more information or to arrange special deliveries, call 401-723-4314.