Pittsburghers Come Together To Distribute Hundreds Of Turkey Dinners
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Plenty of families are spending time at home with food on their plates.
But not everybody has that privilege on the holidays. Instead of spending Thanksgiving with their families, some in the Pittsburgh area spent Thursdays handing out food to their neighbors in need.
"It's a lot of work, but we love to do it," said Joe Bopp, commander of American Legion Post 618.
Early Thanksgiving morning, the American Legion in McKees Rocks turned on its ovens, dropped 20 turkeys in the frier and started cooking around 300 meals to serve.
"We're doing Thanksgiving dinner for anybody who needs one," said Bopp. "We also do all the high rises in the area. We deliver them so everybody has a Thanksgiving."
Bopp said this is a tradition that has been carried out for 10 years now. But it's no longer just volunteer work.
"I don't spend Thanksgiving with my family. I spend it with my community, which is my family," said Bopp.
In Bethel Park, Ma & Pops Country Kitchen packed up meals to deliver and serve.
"Each box that goes out has two meals in it," volunteer Sarah Tiberi said. "One turkey dinner, one ham dinner with all the fixings and dessert. Everything you could want."
Stacey McBurney said the meals are a godsend for her family.
"I've been disabled and have many health problems. This has given my family the ability to have Thanksgiving," said McBurney.
"Our community gives to us all year long, and this is our opportunity to give back to people who can't afford a good Thanksgiving or have to be alone for Thanksgiving," Erica Diethorn, owner of Ma & Pops Country Kitchen.
