‘Times are tough and you have no money, and it makes it hard when you go to a grocery store’
As people across Calgary prepare to sit down for their annual Thanksgiving feast, some are working to ensure no one is left without turkey on their table.
The Forest Lawn Community Association gave out more than 100 turkeys to people in the community on Sunday afternoon, one day ahead of the holiday.
This is the third consecutive year they’ve given out turkeys to families in need, says Gar Gar, the association’s president, and demand has grown each year.
“One of the concerns we’re worrying about, even now, (is) getting more than 100 families,” he said. “A lot of families during these times, they’re choosing between even paying bills or paying rent.”
Gar still holds optimism, explaining that they have “endless support” from the community.
“I feel a hope and I feel a huge faith knowing that one day if I’m in the same position, that I will have that community that (has) my back,” Gar said.
He said supporting 100 families with a turkey will create a “ripple effect.”
“There is the families and the kids, and just creating (those) smiles means the world,” he said. “Creating that hope, knowing that this community and this city has what it takes through hard times.”
Around 100 people were lined up outside the Forest Lawn Community Association on Sunday afternoon, some of them there since as early as 11 a.m. waiting for their bird.
Tom West was near the middle of the lineup, which kept growing up until the community association’s doors opened at 2:30 p.m.
A father of two growing teenagers who “like to eat,” West said things like these free turkeys are what the neighbourhood needs ahead of Thanksgiving.
Having waited in line for a while he said, “It’s worth it to get a turkey.
“(The) price of food today makes it hard for single families and makes it hard for families with kids,” said West. “Times are tough and you have no money, and it makes it hard when you go to a grocery store.”
He’ll be feeding his family on Thanksgiving Monday with the turkey.
The association was able to fund the turkeys with grant funding received earlier this year. Each turkey cost anywhere from $20 to close to $30, which Gar observed was higher than last year.
“For this Thanksgiving, I look back truly and say thank you for everybody that has helped us build those dreams — changing the fear and anxiety to hope and joy to other families,” said Gar.
Although Stanislav Vasylenko isn’t going to have his turkey in the traditional Thanksgiving fashion around the table with family, he’ll make several days’ worth of meals out of it.
“I’m here (in Calgary) alone, so I need to pay rent, I need to pay insurance, all these payments,” Vasylenko said. “This opportunity for the free (turkey) is really good for me.”
Separately, households in Calgary relying on the food bank every day surpassed 750 this year — more than twice that of two years ago, said Calgary Food Bank President and CEO Melissa From last week.
“By the time they’re here (at the food bank), they’ve clipped the coupons, they’ve pinched their pennies,” From said. “Sometimes they’ve gone without meals; they’ve turned off electricity.”
— With files from Hiren Mansukhani and Postmedia
