LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The turkey. It is the star of the Thanksgiving feast. In a normal year, getting a sizable bird can be a big ask for a family that's stretched thin, but as Leandra Forman with Foodchain knows, this year, a growing number of people cannot afford a traditional meal due to the pandemic.
"It's definitely a time of hardship for families that experience food insecurity, " Leandra Forman of Foodchain said.
Enter Farmer Joe. He has been raising turkeys for seven years just outside of Lexington, and he is making sure his humanely raised, non-GMO turkeys are getting on the tables of those who need them the most.
Farmer Joe Weber said, "We are really grateful for the opportunity to give back and know that the hard work we put into it is able to be enjoyed by others."
Weber teamed up last year with Foodchain, the local Lexington non-profit that helps combat food insecurity. He donated 35 turkeys which helped feed 500 families. This year they want to go even bigger, but they need help.
"We collaborated together and were able to come up to offer the public the option to buy a donation turkey for them, " Weber explained. "So, for $60 you can buy a turkey, and feed families in the area."
So along with that beautiful, fresh, and local bird, families will also receive a host of other local produce and Thanksgiving staples. Giving these families in need not only a nourishing, fresh, and wholesome meal but also a sense of security and worth.
"Families that receive these boxes feel the difference in their bodies, they feel the difference in their health, they feel the difference in their mental state, " Leandra Forman said.
Weber added, "It's a really wonderful cause, especially in this day in age. You should just give back to the community if you can, and what better time to do that than Thanksgiving."
If you'd like to donate a turkey, go to www.farmerjoesky.com. Click on the Holiday Turkey link and select the donation turkey.
If you need some help this Thanksgiving, Foodchain will be doing a meal giveaway on Monday at the intersection of Jefferson Street and West 6th Street in Lexington from 5:30-7:00 p.m.
