Fort Wayne & NE Indiana News

The latest positive news written by residents and organizations in our community.
Business   |   Family

The Franciscan Center And Turkey Tuesday Needs More Turkeys For Expected Need

The Franciscan Center announces that it expects to again provide over 1,500 turkeys to clients on its annual “Turkey Tuesday”, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving that its Food Pantry is open on November 20. 600 have been donated/funded, so they need the community’s help to fund the final 900.

“At its start, Turkey Tuesday was just another service day at the Franciscan Center, distributing about 30 turkeys,” explains Tony Ley, executive director. “The effort has grown into an event of its own over the past 19 years as we quadruple our weekly service numbers for our Food Pantry on Gaywood/Maple Grove Avenue in one day.” Tony adds that men, women, and children will line up around the building as early as 4:30 a.m. in the late November cold even though the distribution does not begin until 9:00 a.m.

The Franciscan Center relies completely on donations from the community to make this annual event a reality and needs help filling its freezers with the final 900 to meet expected demand.

“For me and my extended family,” notes Tony, “memories of Thanksgiving often focus on family and friends gathered around the dinner table, enjoying the wonderful feast prepared them. For many of our clients, this is more of a dream than a reality.”

To help make that dream a reality for families on the Southeast side of Fort Wayne, the community has two options: purchase and drop off turkeys or donate $15 for the organization to partner with area suppliers to purchase a turkey at discounted prices. “Please think of us as you start shopping this weekend for your own Thanksgiving celebration and purchase 2nd turkey for someone else’s family table,” suggests Tony. Local scouting troops typically help provide the “fixin’s” that are also distributed to those in line on Turkey Tuesday.

Drop off sites for turkeys and donations include the following:

  1. The Franciscan Center’s main offices at 1015 E Maple Grove Avenue from 9a – 4p M-F and 8a – 11a on Saturday
  2. The Franciscan Center Family Thrift North Store at 925 E Coliseum between Parnell and Clinton Streets from 9a – 8p M-F and 9a – 6p on Saturday
  3. The Franciscan Center Family Thrift Southwest Store at 6145 W. Jefferson Blvd. in the Jefferson Crossing Shopping Center from 9a – 8p M-F and 9a – 6p on Saturday
  4. Online Donations: www.thefranciscancenter.org
  5. Mailed Donations: 1015 E Maple Grove Ave, Fort Wayne, 46806