St. Matthew’s House helping provide families with Thanksgiving dinners

Reporter: Michelle Alvarez Writer: Matthew Seaver
Published: Updated:
(Credit: WINK News)

St. Matthew’s House is helping feed families in Southwest Florida, making sure everyone has food on their tables this Thanksgiving.

In Immokalee on Wednesday morning, they started with a food distribution event. Giving out hundreds of turkeys, sides and more to those in need.

A long line of people showed up, all with the hopes that they would be able to get the food they need.

St. Matthew’s House handed out 450 turkeys and all the holiday fixings.

“I got here this morning at 7 a.m. and there was already a line a block away,” said Food Assistance Program Director for St. Matthew’s House Lorna McLain.

One Thanksgiving in a pandemic was bad enough. Two of them is heartbreaking.

“It’s one of those things that it makes me just want to look back and appreciate everything that I have going on in my life.”

Deana Conley said she wouldn’t have the traditional Thanksgiving meal with her family without this event. “Food stamps barely cover a price of meat and with canned stuff and everything, the price of meat takes away the food stamps and you don’t have nothing left over.”

Conley said her son has brain cancer, so money is tight and St. Matthew’s House is a godsend. “If it wasn’t for all of this, it would just be a disaster.”

Immokalee Friendship House Director Ana Estrella agrees. “That’s just the best gift that we can give anybody. Christmas, Thanksgiving, or any day looking forward. If you can feed somebody, then you’re doing what Jesus is telling us, or told us to do.”

Whatever it takes, the St. Matthew’s House team is determined to make Thanksgiving a filling one for families who otherwise might go hungry.

Unfortunately, not everyone in Wednesday’s long line walked away with a turkey.

St. Matthew’s House said they had to turn away more than 100 families because they ran out of food.

If you’d like to help by donating turkeys or cash to help feed more families as we approach the holiday you do so at stmatthewshouse.org.

You can also find more information on how to help St. Matthew’s House here.

You can also find a list of locations where St. Matthew’s House will be handing out turkeys the rest of the week by clicking here or in the photo below.

(Credit: St. Matthew’s House)

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