Sacramento Vice Mayor Jeff Harris unloads frozen turkeys at the Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center. / NatomasBuzz.com Photo
BY BRANDY TUZON BOYD
THE NATOMAS BUZZ | @natomasbuzz
Sacramento Vice Mayor Jeff Harris hands groceries out at the Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center. / NatomasBuzz.com Photo
Hundreds of area families participated in three turkey giveaways held last Friday in Natomas.
In anticipation of the Thanksgiving holiday, Vice Mayor Jeff Harris and representatives from his office picked up 400 turkeys from Bel Air on West El Camino Avenue and delivered 100 to The Greenhouse, 200 to Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center and 100 to Joey’s Food Locker at Natomas High School.
“It’s an honor to partner with Raley’s, The Green House, Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center, and Natomas Unified School District Joey’s Food Locker to provide 400 turkeys and holiday meals to families in need,” Harris posted on Facebook.
The Greenhouse partnered with Harris’ office and Mutual Housing to provide families the nonprofit serves with a turkey or grocery gift card for food support, according to a post on social media.
Stanford Settlement staff, with help from volunteers and Rotary Club members, distributed the turkeys and groceries to feed 1,400 individuals — about 250 families — during a drive-thru turkey and grocery giveaway held midday on Nov. 20.
Later that afternoon, families representing about 2,119 individuals received turkeys and groceries from Joey’s Food Locker. At one point, the line of cars wound through the high school parking lot and backed up along Fong Ranch Road to the traffic light at San Juan Road.
“I’m a little overwhelmed,” said Natomas Unified school board president Lisa Kaplan, who volunteered at the giveaway. “Because you just took a picture of how many cars there are in out parking lot and that’s the need we have, that’s the need in our community, it’s heartbreaking and I am so proud that we have Joey’s Food Locker.”
The Natomas Chamber of Commerce is holding a holiday food drive to benefit Joey’s Food Locker (3301 Fong Ranch Road) and the Stanford Settlement Neighborhood Center (450 West El Camino Avenue). Unopened, nonperishable food items can be dropped off at either location 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. from Nov. 30-Dec.3.
Volunteers and Natomas Unified School District staff sort groceries to distribute at Joey’s Food Locker. / NatomasBuzz.com Photo
Vehicles wound through the Natomas High School parking lot waiting for a turkey and groceries on Nov. 20. / NatomasBuzz.com Photo
During the pandemic, Joey’s Food Locker has distributed food every Friday from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. / NatomasBuzz.com Photo
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