Food Bank of Alaska announces annual Thanksgiving Blessing events

WASILLA — The Food Bank of Alaska and its partners are completing preparations to distribute groceries for an entire Thanksgiving meal to an estimated 10,000 to 11,000 local families in need during the annual Thanksgiving Blessing food distribution event.

According to a recent press release, the Food Bank of Alaska served a total of 8,282 families, with 1,828 in Mat-Su and 6,454 families in Anchorage during the 2021 Thanksgiving Blessing.

“Thanksgiving Blessing is an amazing community-wide effort. During this time of heightened need and high food costs, we are proud to partner with the faith community to ensure that our hungry neighbors can enjoy a holiday meal,” Food Bank of Alaska CEO Jim Baldwin stated in the press release.

This annual tradition was established in 2004 to make it easier for people to find food assistance during the holidays and to meet their needs more effectively, according to the press release.

Churches, businesses, and volunteer groups collect canned goods in preparation for this widely coordinated project.

$22 donations provide a turkey and $37 offers a complete meal for a family for the 2022 Thanksgiving Blessing. Financial donations help the Food Bank of Alaska purchase over 10,000 turkeys and allow partners to supplement donated food.

The Mat-Su Valley event runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 19.

The Anchorage event takes place Monday, Nov. 21 from 2 to 7 p.m. The Mountain View sites will operate from 12 to 8 p.m.

Both Thanksgiving Blessing events are community-wide collaborations between churches, charitable organizations, and local volunteers who dedicate their time and resources to help Alaskan residents bring a full meal home to their families.

Some sites will offer drive-through distributions of pre-boxed food while other sites will offer the traditional “shopping” experience with visitors browsing through the various stations to pick up food items for their dinners.

There are five Valley sites from Palmer to Talkeetna.

Families in need are directed to a distribution site according to their zip code. Visitors are asked to bring proof of address with them.

For more information about which location to visit, call 2-1-1 or visit foodbankofalaska.org/blessing.