Perhaps no holiday centers around the concept of the feast quite like Thanksgiving. Certainly, the annual tradition of gathering around the turkey is one taken seriously at All Faiths Food Bank, which this week has distributed some 7,000 turkeys to needy families and to organizations feeding the underprivileged.

“Thanksgiving is all about sharing with family friends,” said Sandra Frank, All Faiths Food Bank CEO. “It is about being grateful of the gifts bestowed upon us, and nobody should be left out of that. Everyone should have a nutritious Thanksgiving meal.”

The food bank over the last several days has accomplished a logistical challenge in putting thousands of bags of sides and frozen 14-pound poultry into the hands of those who otherwise might go hungry. Much of that has been through distribution to various community partners from churches to health and human services agencies. But 90 percent of the distributed birds were put directly into the hands of clients out of food bank freezers, Frank said.

A special voucher system was executed this year to speed up the distribution process at an event this weekend, allowing many being served to drive a vehicle to the food bank and exchanging a slip of paper for the holiday meal without having to leave the car. The vouchers were distributed by partner agencies, food bank officials said, as those organizations were best situated to judge who was truly in need. The food bank also held special events like a Veterans Pantry on Tuesday to serve special populations.

A number of agencies took turkeys for their own events. The Salvation Army in Sarasota, for example, hosts a special Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday that starts at 10am and runs to 3pm, and the food bank provides food for that event.

In total, Frank said various Thanksgiving efforts collectively by the bank cost a total of $120,000. A big chunk of that, $35,000, comes from a grant by the Kathleen K. Catlin Foundation, but the bulk comes from small private donations by individuals directly to the food bank. 

Pictured: Riverview High students help distribute turkeys for Thanksgiving as part of an effort by All Faiths Food Bank to feed area families.