For many, Thanksgiving is a time to spend with family and loved ones, devour second and third helpings, and catch the big game on TV. But Thanksgiving can also be stressful for families who struggle to afford a quality meal, and worry about creating lasting memories for their children.
Taher Inc., a food service that feeds schools, businesses, and seniors across the nation has recognized these burdens that some families face on Thanksgiving, so have created a Pay it Forward Thanksgiving mission. This effort focuses on providing a turkey dinner for families in the community who wouldn’t otherwise have one. Starting by giving 900 meals in the first year, the initiative has grown to 26,000 meals and feeding four states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, and Texas) in the fifth year.
How can you get involved?
It’s simple. If you live in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, all you have to do is visit payitforwardthanksgiving.org and nominate a family in need on or before Friday, Nov. 11. You’ll then be notified whether or not the family you nominated was chosen to receive one of the 2,000 Thanksgiving meals available, prepared by chefs from scratch. Each meal kit serves four people and includes turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberries, dinner rolls, and pumpkin pie.
If the family you nominated was selected, you pick up the meal on Tuesday, Nov. 22 or Wednesday, Nov. 23, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. at their commissary in Plymouth, and deliver it to the family you nominated.
All that’s left to do after that is enjoy the smiles and the hugs upon delivering, You can even share a reaction or story using the hashtag #PayItForwardThanksgiving. The Tahers state, “What started as a simple way to recognize what we are thankful for, has grown into something we hope can change people’s lives.”
