South Tucson business owners team up to provide Thanksgiving meals to at least 30 families this year

For families in South Tucson who are already trying to stretch limited grocery budgets, a group of local business owners is working to make Thanksgiving dinner a little less difficult. Barrio Restoration has brought back its holiday food drive for the third year, partnering with small businesses to provide complete Thanksgiving meals for at least 30 families, with hopes of serving even more.

The effort comes as households face the familiar high cost of putting a holiday meal on the table. A Thanksgiving dinner can require a turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, canned vegetables, dessert and other ingredients, all at a time when many families are already making difficult choices at the grocery store. Retailers have promoted low cost meal packages, including a $30 meal for six people at Target and a $35 basket for 10 at Walmart, but organizers say even those prices can be significant for residents with little room in their budgets.

David Garcia of Barrio Restoration said the drive is especially important as some people lose access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. For families living with less income, he said, the available food budget may cover only the basics, sometimes as little as ramen noodles. The goal of the drive is to give families something more substantial for the holiday and relieve at least one financial pressure during a difficult season.

Last year, Barrio Restoration helped approximately 20 families. Garcia is seeking to increase that number to 30 or more this year. The organization is receiving support from South Tucson business owners, including Matthew Lenne, co owner of Sweet Tooth Ice Cream Truck, and Anthony Romero, owner of Putt Around Town Mini Mobile Golf.

Lenne said his support is rooted in his own childhood experience. His family did not always have a large Thanksgiving dinner, and he remembered receiving food boxes during the holidays. By helping with the drive now, he said, he wants children in similar circumstances to enjoy time with their families without parents having to worry as much about how they will afford the meal. Romero said participating gives him a way to be more involved in his community and work alongside other people who also want to help South Tucson residents.

Residents and businesses still have an opportunity to contribute. Barrio Restoration is collecting turkeys, pies, stuffing and canned goods through the 20th. Donations can be delivered to Moroso Medical Center, at 2231 South Fourth Avenue in South Tucson. People seeking more information can contact Barrio Restoration at 520 443 1187, Putt Around Town at 520 585 3483, Sweet Tooth at 520 354 3671 or Moroso Medical Center at 520 495 4054.

The neighborhood drive is part of a broader network of Thanksgiving assistance in Tucson. The Gospel Rescue Mission has held its Thanksgiving Street Banquet for 28 years, relying primarily on private donations. Its public relations and outreach coordinator, Victor Hightower, said about 70 percent of South Tucson residents are at or below the poverty level. The mission’s meal was scheduled for the middle of 28th Street between Ninth and 10th avenues, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Nov. 23, with turkey, mashed potatoes and other food.

Other organizations have also provided holiday meals and groceries. The Salvation Army and St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church scheduled their 33rd annual Community Thanksgiving Meal from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 24 at 1145 East Fort Lowell Road. Organizers said about 1,500 people attended the previous year, and the Salvation Army also delivers meals to residents’ homes. Donations of canned vegetables and other food can be taken to the Salvation Army Hospitality House at 1002 North Main Avenue.

The Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona has not distributed a special Thanksgiving meal, but it has continued its regular food assistance during the holiday period. The food bank serves 250 pantries, churches, rural communities and other partners. Its Thanksgiving week schedule included Tuesday and Wednesday operations from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 3003 South Country Club Road, where people with photo identification or proof of residency could receive one standard food box. Another local event, organized by Portable, Practical Educational Preparation and Cenpatico Integrated Care, offered a traditional Thanksgiving meal, entertainment, raffles and a resource fair at Armory Park Center. The event was expected to draw more than 400 people, based on the previous year’s attendance. Together, these efforts show how Tucson organizations and local businesses are trying to ensure that financial hardship does not prevent residents from sharing a holiday meal.