JACKSON, Mich. — Hundreds of people lined up to help get a missing piece of their Thanksgiving dinner in Jackson as families may be feeling the impacts of inflation.
So to help out, the Jackson Police Department wanted to lend a helping hand as we approach Thanksgiving.
It was a long line of cars on a cold Wednesday morning.
Inside one of those cars was Jackson resident Jaime Key.
“My parents are really struggling,” she said.
She’s here trying to take care of her family.
“If I can focus on getting them any extra money towards their car, then this is what I have to do,” she said.
At the end of this line for Key and so many others are a free turkey to celebrate Thanksgiving.
“I know tons of families that are in need,” Key said. “I try to give back as much as I can when I have it so I’m really thankful that they’re doing this. This is really awesome of them to do.”
With inflation expected to cause record turkey prices this year, the Jackson Police Department handed out 150 turkeys to residents on Wednesday. They ran out in just under an hour.
“It’s not just our community. It’s all communities. We know the need is there and it’s not a lot but we tried to do what we could. 150 turkeys went really fast but next there will be more for sure,” city of Jackson Group Violence Intervention Coordinator Cheryl Ragland said.
But for the families who got the gift, it means the world this holiday season.
“I’m fostering my grandson, so inflation has really taken a bite out of our finances,” Lawrence Estes said.
“It’s a hard world out there, and when we go to the store and we’re used to buying $10 worth of food for like a few days, now that doesn’t even get you a gallon of milk or some bread and eggs it’s pretty bad,” Brian Walden said.
Ragland said the turkey giveaway fits in with the program’s message of community outreach.
“Having enough food on the table for a family holiday is a big part of that,” she said. “With increasing food costs for families, we hope this will also alleviate some financial strain during the holiday season.”
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