Can't afford Thanksgiving dinner this year? Second Harvest wants to help

ELYRIA — With record inflation taking a toll, Thanksgiving staples may be harder to come by this year. Armed with $500,000 in American Rescue Plan funds from Lorain County commissioners, Second Harvest wants to put holiday dinners on 2,000 tables. Its Thanksgiving meal giveaway will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 19 at the north end of Lorain County Community College's campus, 1005 N. Abbe Road. "Everyone should be able to celebrate the season with family around a holiday meal," said Julie Chase-Morefield, president and CEO at Second Harvest. The nonprofit started its Thanksgiving mass giveaway in 2020, during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand for help was so high that vehicles choked the Midway Mall parking lot. Last year, the event was moved to LCCC. Demand was still amazingly high, said Susan Bartosch, Second Harvest's vice president of external affairs. Vaccines have helped cut COVID case counts and ease pressure on hospitals. But Bartosch said the economic damage caused by the pandemic is still there, and temporary relief programs such as the child tax credit and free school lunches have been phased out. Reductions in food stamp benefits also caused problems with hunger to mount. Unemployment numbers are low, but for many families making ends meet against rising grocery store costs, gas prices and rent has been difficult, Bartosch said — especially those with kids. "Some families haven't been able to quite make it back," she said. Before the pandemic, Second Harvest was helping about 88,000 people a year — that's not repeat customers, but individual people. Today that number is about 120,000. "And it's all very uncertain because they're still waiting to see what will happen to the remaining supports out there," Bartosch said. "People are nervous." Knowing demand would be high, Second Harvest asked Lorain County commissioners for ARPA funding early in the year and was awarded $500,000. Half of that money is being used for the Thanksgiving distribution, which is the nonprofit's largest of the year. Second Harvest ordered turkeys in May, suspecting supply chain issues could both ramp up costs and lower availability by fall. Bartosch said prices were much higher than in the past, because factories are still reeling from COVID-related issues, including temporary plant closures and company consolidations. Valued at $125, each box includes a turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, potatoes, sweet potatoes, eggs, butter, frozen apple pie, apples, canned pumpkin, cornbread mix and soup. Pre-registration is required before Nov. 17 at www.secondharvestfoodbank.org or by calling (440) 960-2265. Drivers will be allowed to pick up packages for two families, but must sign up for each separately and provide two registration codes. All participants must show registration codes to get into the distribution line at LCCC. Eligibility is based on income and household size. Home delivery is not available for Thanksgiving dinner food bundles. Second Harvest is based in Lorain but serves a much wider area. It plans to hold similar Thanksgiving events in Huron, Crawford and Erie counties, giving away a total of 3,300 Thanksgiving meals. The distribution at LCCC is for Lorain County residents. The college has the space and plenty of muscle to help, Bartosch said — the drive-thru event will offer no-touch pickup. LCCC President Marcia Ballinger said she wants to see hunger eliminated both on campus and in the broader community. "We partner with Second Harvest year-round for our Commodore Cupboard on-campus food pantry," she said in a news release. "We are honored to enhance that collaboration to help distribute holiday meals to those in need. LCCC students, faculty and staff have volunteered to make sure everyone in our community has access to everything needed for a nice Thanksgiving meal." Jason Hawk can be reached at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.