HAHA has tripled the number of supporting organizations from year one. SELF, YWCA, Marshall High School, Linden Elementary, the Kiwanis of Lindenwald, Hamilton and Fairfield, and Shared Harvest Food Bank have joined Booker T. Washington Center, H.Y.P.E., the Fitton YMCA and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hamilton.
“It’s our way to give back,” said McCleary, operations director at Tano Bistro. “We’re trying to spread it out more this year and feed as many people as possible, and we have a lot more support going into this year than we did last year.”
There are multiple ways Hamil-Turkey provides food for community members, who are identified by the supporting organizations. Through the Hamilton Community Foundation, people can sponsor a family of four with a $50 donation; meal kits are prepared to be delivered for Thanksgiving dinners; chefs and cooks at Tano, Basil 1791 and Marriott make pre-cooked meals to be delivered for on Thanksgiving Day; and provide multiple buffets in the days leading up to Thanksgiving.
Last year, they had two buffets and they hope to have as many as five this year. Shared Harvest’s donation of 1,000 turkeys and Butler Tech’s culinary program is assisting in preparing the hot buffets.
“We had a lot of local people in Hamilton be very gracious in giving and helping to support families,” he said.
Shared Harvest Foodbank Executive Director Terry Perdue reached out to McCleary to see how they can help this year to expand their capacity to help more people in the area.
“What is interesting is they are partnering with organizations we do not traditionally partner with, and so that was one of the areas that piqued my interest that we could reach populations that we may not necessarily already be touching,” said Perdue.
In addition to providing 1,000 turkeys, they’re sorting through food donations they can use to contribute toward the Thanksgiving meals. Perdue said they’ve seen “substantial growth” in need from its multi-county service area, going from 32,000 people a month to 40,000, so the growth from 700 to around 5,000 “is consistent with the growth that we’ve seen overall in our network.”
“I think it’s an illustration of more families being in need,” he said.
To donate, visit the Hamilton Community Foundation online and search HAHA Special Projects, or people can contact McCleary at tyler@foodbytano.com. Hamil-Turkey donations need to be in by Nov. 15.
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