It’s gotten significantly more expensive this year to put a full Thanksgiving dinner on the table.
Wholesale turkey prices alone have jumped 40% from 2024, according to the Department of Agriculture, thanks in part to increased demand and outbreaks of bird flu. Tens of thousands of Long Beach households are also still recovering from the disruption to their supplemental food benefits caused by the government shutdown.
Local food banks worked hard to fill in those gaps while the shutdown persisted, and now, even more charities and local do-gooders are stepping up to make sure their neighbors are well-fed for Thanksgiving.
If you need help getting a turkey — and the fixings to go with it — here are three options:
Local Hearts Foundation – Nov. 22
On Saturday, Nov. 22, the Local Hearts Foundation, a local nonprofit that often organizes food drives, back-to-school drives and toy drives, is hosting its annual turkey giveaway.
Every year, Local Hearts feeds thousands of families around the holidays and this year will be no different, according to the organization’s director, Tito Rodriguez. So far, the Local Hearts Foundation has 1,500 turkeys to give away, but they’re hoping to get that to 2,000 before Saturday, he said.
“We’ve been doing it for such a long time now, we know that the need is massive,” Rodriguez said. “We know that [with] everything going on with all the benefits being put on hold, that the need has grown.”
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday at the Homeland Cultural Center in MacArthur Park, 1321 E Anaheim Street, the Local Hearts Foundation will be giving away turkeys, produce and warm clothes to families in need. No registration is required; everything will be handed out to those in need on a first-come-first served basis.
Rodriguez, who is known throughout the community as the Hood Santa, is passionate about helping and doesn’t want people to have to choose between paying the bills or buying food for the holidays.
“We know that everything’s kind of expensive right now; turkeys to the moon, bills are to the moon, gas is to the moon, rent is to the moon. So being able to provide a family a meal, it’s going to be huge,” Rodriguez said.
Those interested in getting involved can make donations on the Local Hearts Foundation website or message Rodriguez on Instagram to find out more about volunteering.
Dairy Market by Breezys – Nov. 23
While sitting in the hospital with his 2-year-old daughter after she was diagnosed with brain cancer a couple of months ago, Bryan Torres said he had a revelation about just how important nutrition is to health, especially for kids.
“We don’t talk about kids that go hungry [enough], Torres said.
After that moment, Torres, who owns the North Long Beach restaurant Dairy Market by Breezys, decided he wanted to give back.
On Sunday, Nov. 23, starting at 8 a.m., families can get a free Thanksgiving turkey at Dairy Market by Breezys, at 5450 Dairy Avenue.
Torres has invited the mayor, local councilmember, the Fire Department and the Police Department to hopefully make it a full community event.
He wants his neighbors to know “that somebody cares about them, and that they have a real neighbor in me,” Torres said. “I don’t think anyone should be forgotten.”
Currently, Torres has over 250 turkeys to pass out, but he hopes to have 400 by Sunday. Torres has pulled donations from friends and other members of the community to pay for the turkeys.
One of Torres’s friends, Katie Reid, has donated 50 turkeys. Torres said Reid is his “right-hand” in organizing this turkey giveaway and anyone who would like to donate to help them get more turkeys should reach out to her at 310-990-2542.
Ella’s Angels – Nov. 26
Led by 15-year-old Ella Shahbazian, Ella’s Angels is a nonprofit organization that empowers local youth to get involved in their community and works to address issues including poverty, homelessness and environmental conservation.
This year, on Wednesday, Nov. 26, Ella’s Angels is handing out 100 Thanksgiving meals to Long Beach families from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Greater Harvest Church, at 1144 Olive Avenue.
When Shahbazian found out about people losing access to their SNAP benefits at the beginning of November because of the government shutdown, she sprang into action.
“I couldn’t just sit and do nothing,” she said.
Though Ella’s Angels, which she launched three years ago, has organized toy drives and beach cleanups before, this event is the largest project the nonprofit has taken on.
The Thanksgiving meal bags will include a frozen turkey, stuffing mix, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn, cranberry sauce, cornbread mix, and pumpkin pie filling or brownie mix.
People can register to receive a meal bag here. Those who want to support Ella’s Angels can make a donation on the organization’s website.
Shahbazian said she hopes to make this an annual tradition, expanding in the future to be able to help more families in need.