On Saturday, November 21st, Waxahachie Care gave away 300 Thanksgiving packages. Around 270 cars lined Ferris Avenue to receive theirs, while another 30 were delivered to those home-bound.
Their annual “Turkey Drive” actually begins back in the summer months, as they begin planning how many they will feed and who will be helping.
In October, individuals and families begin signing up – reserving their package to be picked up the weekend before Thanksgiving Day.
Over at Waxahachie Care, they are busy contacting the local businesses and regular donators to gather all that they’ll need. Churches, schools, businesses, and even neighborhoods work together to gather all the food.
Many of the churches in Ellis County are assigned a specific item. This year, St. Paul Episcopal Church was in charge of bringing cake and brownie boxes. Their congregation brought in over 200 boxes to give away.
Other businesses and churches were responsible for sending volunteers to assemble the “red bags” which included all of the items needed for an amazing Thanksgiving meal. Morgan Orthodontics, Waxahachie Bible Church, and Remedy Church were some to name a few.
Each year Waxahachie Care selects a different church to assist them. This year, The Avenue Church was chosen to be the main volunteer base for the on-site giveaway. Volunteer Melissa Lance said, “This is an amazing thing Waxahachie Care is doing. There’s such a need in our area, but not just around the holidays. They can always use volunteers and donations throughout the year.”
Officer Brian Fuller with the Waxahachie Police Department volunteered his time on Saturday morning to keep the flow of cars organized. He is in charge of off-duty scheduling for the department, so when he saw the need come across his desk, he decided to help. He said of the event, “ This is a great thing that the community does so that all people can have a good Thanksgiving.”
Wade Holman, Operations Director for Waxahachie Care, showed me around the event and explained how all of it comes together – how it takes a team of people for many months to execute a giveaway like this. He and his wife, Executive Director Kim Holman, lead Waxahachie Care. They are grateful for all of the volunteers and those who donated to make this year’s Turkey Drive a success!
As I watched car after car pull in and receive their package, I was amazed at how many people the staff of Waxahachie Care knew by name. They not only received food, but they were able to interact for a few moments and feel seen and known. I’m so grateful for organizations like this who truly care about those they are serving. As I stood on the street visiting with my childhood friend, Officer Fuller, I watched these cars pull away with waves and smiles. Truly thankful for giving hearts and hands at Waxahachie Care.
– Ami Trull is the Content Manager for EllisDownHome.com – She is a 5th generation resident of Ellis County. She and her husband, Jay have two sons. Ami is also a photographer and graphic designer. She is passionate about telling the stories that matter most.
