CENTREVILLE, Mich. — United Way of St. Joseph County hosted its annual Thanksgiving food box giveaway Tuesday, as they have done for 23 years.
Cars lined the parking lot across from the United Way building to pick up a box of Thanksgiving food, as well as a smoked turkey, courtesy of Brewhouse BBQ.
Executive Director Kelly Hostetler told News Channel 3 they gave away 500 boxes and turkeys to people who signed up to receive them.
“I’ve had kids come up to me in the schools and tell me that they’ve never had turkey on Thanksgiving,” Hostetler said. “They’ve never sat around the table and had a dinner on Thanksgiving Day with their family, and this is what it’s all about; and I want to make sure I can at least provide the boxes of food for them.”
United Way of St. Joseph County was joined by community members and volunteers.
Among them, the Sturgis Middle School Agriculture Program.
The program began three years ago, teaching students where their food comes from.
Since then, the program has grown from 18 students to 57, many of whom were volunteering Tuesday morning.
“They always come and they work hard, and they don’t complain, and I hope they go home feeling a sense of pride in themselves in giving back to the community,” Andrea Littlefield, the program’s director, said.
Brewhouse BBQ has long been a partner of the event, smoking turkeys for those who may not have the means to do so themselves.
It started as a previously anonymous owner wanting to help, but not wanting to reveal his identity so not to take credit and just wanting to do what he felt was right.
That owner has since passed away, but current owner, Ryan Miller, is proud to continue that tradition.
“It means a ton to me, because he was a very special man,” Miller said. “He was very, very unique. It just means a ton to keep doing this, and I’ll do it until I can’t do it anymore, or until Kelly tells us we have to stop.”
For those who signed up and did not pick up their turkey and food box on Tuesday, they will be available to be picked up Wednesday.