If you’re free right before Thanksgiving, the Joshua Project needs you.
The organization plans to deliver 400 Thanksgiving meals the weekend before the holiday, but packing bags of food and delivering to needy families will require more hands.
The annual project gives a turkey and bags of food to families, and the need appears to be greater this year.
“We’re talking about 1,200 bags of food. That’s four times what we do for our backpack program,” Joshua President Pat Costello told a volunteers’ meeting in Middleburgh Wednesday evening.
A family of four or fewer gets a turkey and two bags of food; a larger family gets a bigger turkey and four bags.
“Some of these families have 12 to 14 people, so they get a big, big turkey,” Mr. Costello said.
Catholic Charities is providing 100 turkeys, and the Joshua Project is buying the rest, along with the food.
The plan is to pack bags at Our Lady of the Valley Church in Middleburgh Friday, November 19.
Then, the cargo will shift to Fusion Community Church in Cobleskill, where bags and turkeys will be loaded into vehicles on Saturday the 20th for delivery.
The Thanksgiving project last year had 40 drivers. This year, Mr. Costello said, Joshua will need 45 to 50 drivers.
“We can never have too many drivers,” he added.
Drivers are given a route and usually have eight to 10 stops. It’s also best to have a helper to navigate and find homes.
To volunteer to pack bags on November 19 or deliver on the 20th, call 518-937-2422.
Families will apply to Catholic Charities to receive the food.