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KDKA-TV Kicks Off Annual Turkey Fund

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - While many people are thinking about Halloween, we are hard at work getting ready for Thanksgiving.

"I think this is probably one of the very best of the best. Pittsburgh is about sharing. It's about helping communities, and people do things together," PNC Bank President and CEO Sy Holzer said.

KDKA's Rick Dayton Reports:

That kind of thinking was behind the KDKA-TV Turkey Fund when it started in 1982. A viewer walked up to Al Julius, gave him $10 and asked him to give it to someone who needed help.

Now, 33 years later, things are much better economically, but we are not out of the woods yet.

"I think that many families are struggling just every day to make ends meet and whether you are working full-time or part-time or piecing together two part-time jobs, it's really meant for our families that they just aren't earning enough to put enough food on the table each and every day," Lisa Scales of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank said.

Today, we kicked off the KDKA-TV Turkey Fund in an effort to make sure everyone has a warm Thanksgiving meal next month.

"Because it's getting better. We now have more opportunity to help families than less and we are going to continue because of the great emergence of Pittsburgh and it's recognized nationally that we take care of our own. I think things will get better and we will help more people than less," Holzer said.

Since its inception, the Turkey Fund has raised more than $14 million. With the help of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, we'll go to work again.

"We are seeing the biggest growth in the suburbs. People are hearing about the opportunity to get food from a food pantry and they are taking advantage of it. And over the summer, I believe, it increased because kids weren't in school and did not have the essential school means," Scales said.

Kicking Off The Turkey Fund On Pittsburgh Today Live:

The torch has been passed throughout the years here at KDKA-TV. However, the constant has been you and your generosity.

For more information on how to donate, visit KDKA.com/TurkeyFund

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