Servant’s Heart Turkey Tuesday 2021 A Huge Success
MINT HILL, NC - Servant’s Heart’s annual Turkey Tuesday assistance program took place this year on November 23. Always the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, Turkey Tuesday serves the community by providing clients with everything they need to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving meal in their home.
“Servant’s Heart gave Thanksgiving groceries to feed approximately 550 people,” said Servant’s Heart Founder and Executive Director Kim Rhodarmer. “Bags were filled with traditional Thanksgiving food items plus fresh bread and a holiday pie of choice along with a hunger box and bonus items. Each household also received a $40 food gift card to purchase meat and final trimmings for their perfect Thanksgiving Day feast. Over $17,000 in food and gift cards were given out on November 23.”
A tradition Servant’s Heart began last year and continued at this year’s Turkey Tuesday is pulling any items close to expiration from their food pantry and letting clients select from those in addition to their Thanksgiving essentials. “It’s not necessarily for Thanksgiving, but it’s a really great way to beef up their pantry before the holidays,” says Rhodarmer. “We don’t really give out much food in December,” she continues, “If someone is desperate, absolutely, we will give them food from our emergency food pantry. But December is all about Christmas Assistance, so we really want to help clients get stocked up with extra food to take them through December.”
It’s always been Rhodarmer’s vision to provide her clients not just with the basics but with the Thanksgiving she would want for herself and her own family. “That’s why we include the gift cards to purchase the meat of their choice and other extra items to make their Thanksgiving meal special,” says Rhodarmer. “Our clients, they’re struggling right now. I want this to be a time of year where they’re not worried about how they’re going to pay for Thanksgiving or how they can’t invite friends and family over because they have nothing to serve. I want them to know they’ve got what they need for Thanksgiving, to come together at the table and enjoy this meal and remember all the things for which we have to be grateful.”
Rhodarmer is proud to call this year’s Turkey Tuesday the best Turkey Tuesday to date. “It is a long day,” says Rhodarmer, “but it's such a fun day. I love what we do so much. Sometimes it feels like a lot of work, but the reward it's just crazy. Every donor and volunteer who participated in Turkey Tuesday is an invisible, yet honored, guest at Thanksgiving tables all over Mint Hill.”
Servant’s Heart is currently collecting donations of new toys and Target and Wal-Mart gift cards ($25 or $75 denominations) for its Christmas Assistance program. Two areas of need are gift cards and toys for children ages 8-12. Donations can be dropped off at the Community Boutique Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
Servant’s Heart is grateful to the many community partners who help make Turkey Tuesday possible. Elevation Church and Queen’s Grant Community school stocked grocery bags with Thanksgiving essentials. Beloved Community Church helped provide for gift cards. The new owners of Lawyer’s Square Shopping Center made it possible to include fresh bread and pies with this year’s Turkey Tuesday package. “Every donor and volunteer who participated in Turkey Tuesday is an invisible, yet honored, guest at thanksgiving tables all over Mint Hill,” said Rhodarmer.
Article Written by: Mary Beth Foster
