THANKSGIVING MEALS DISTRIBUTED TO OVER 300 FAMILIES
Boys & Girls Club of Collier County will be preparing and distributing over 300 Thanksgiving meals to Club families this holiday season. With generous donations from local donors to their annual turkey drive, Club staff, along with dedicated volunteers, will distribute Thanksgiving meals on Thursday, November 19th at the Nichols Club in Naples and Friday, November 20th at the Bolch Club in Immokalee.
Addressing food insecurity has been a priority for the Boys & Girls Club since the COVID-19 pandemic began in March. Boys & Girls Club of Collier County has served over 65,000 hot meals to children and families in Collier County via drive-thru at the two Clubs and staff provided delivery where meals are handed out in communities where transportation is lacking. Both the Naples and Immokalee Clubs have also served as weekly Harry Chapin Food Bank distribution sites.
“I am thankful to the community members that have donated to our turkey drive so that we can provide Thanksgiving meals to Club families this year,” said Boys & Girls Club of Collier County President & CEO Megan McCarthy Beauvais. “We have been serving meals to families in the Naples and Immokalee communities weekly since March, but there is something special about helping families in need especially this holiday season.”
The Club’s Junior Culinary Arts Program will assist in preparing this year’s Thanksgiving meals. This program provides teens 15 to 18 years old with meaningful work and life and leadership skills through education and training. This career and technical job-readiness program provides Club teens the opportunity to work in one of our state of the art kitchens and on our Blue CanTEEN food truck as they build skills in the culinary arts, restaurant management, and entrepreneurship.