Thanksgiving meal giveaway announced for families

For families in need, the holidays can be a tough time and that struggle has been worsened by the pandemic.

To help local families, the Shafter Recreation Department is hosting a Thankful Thanksgiving Family Dinner Giveaway on Nov. 19.

The city is partnering with a number of local organizations including the Shafter Mennonite Brethren Church, Shafter Kiwanis Club, Shafter Rotary Club, Shafter Lions Club, Apple Market, Champs, Miramar International, Shafter Woman’s Club and the Shafter Commanders.

On Nov.19, in the parking lot behind the Shafter Recreation office, the different organizations will be set up at stations to hand out ingredients for a Thanksgiving dinner. There will be frozen turkeys, bags of potatoes, pies, cornbread mix and more.

By the time the family leaves the parking lot, they will have the majority of ingredients needed to make up their own Thanksgiving dinner.

The event is for the first 100 Shafter families who sign up.

Sign-ups are limited to one per household, with one representative from each family there to pick up the ingredients.

Families can sign up at the Shafter Recreation Office, 700 East Tulare Ave., from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Friday. They can also sign up on the internet on RecDesk or by calling the office at 661-746-3303.

Hannah Ramirez is the program coordinator and can be reached at the recreation department office for more information for participants and for those organizations still wishing to help out in the event.