Community members come together to help build boxes and prepare for Thanksgiving food distribution by St. Mary’s Food Bank and neighboring food pantries.

A volunteer at St. Mary’s, Warren Zeigler, talks about what it means for him to volunteer and help the community.

“It’s wonderful to give back to the community. I’ve been blessed throughout my life, and it’s time to give back. I like to feed the homeless, so one of my goals on Thanksgiving is to go down and feed the homeless,” Zeigler said.

St. Mary’s Food Bank is fortunate to have sufficient volunteers this holiday season to help facilitate distribution hours. The most helpful way to give back during this season is through food or money donations.

Jerry Brown, Director of Public Relations at St. Mary’s food bank, told Northeast Valley News that St. Mary’s has a network of more than 800 agency partners across the state.

St. Mary’s will distribute about 20,000 turkeys in the two weeks leading up to Thanksgiving.

A week and a half before Thanksgiving, food distribution began in Navajo and Apache counties, where the demand is high.

“20,000 food boxes and 20,000 produce boxes will start about a week and a half in front of Thanksgiving up on the tribal lands. We’ll be in several sites in Navajo County and Apache County where the need is really bad. The children who are without food are 1 in 4 and, in some cases, 1 in 3 up there,” Brown said.

The Navajo and Apache counties’ relationship with St. Mary’s began during the COVID-19 pandemic. Brown told Northeast Valley News that the pandemic hit these areas harder than any other area in the United States.

A neighboring food pantry – Maricopa Pantry– is also gearing up to provide meals this Thanksgiving.

Maricopa Pantry receives the bulk of their food from St. Mary’s food bank – with two trailers a week as well as donations from other organizations and farms.

Northeast Valley News asked the founders of Maricopa Pantry, Jim and Alice Shoaf, if the supply of food they have for Thanksgiving is enough for the demand.

“Barely, but we will pull it off. We always pull it off. We don’t know how. But we always pull it off. People can expect a box of food weighing from about 35-60 pounds, sometimes even more than that. It all depends on the food that comes in. We never know what’s coming in until it gets here,” both the Shoaf’s said.

The founders also talked about the fire they suffered last year that burned down their facility and the plans to rebuild.

“We’re trying to build a warehouse, and this warehouse will be everything, like a community center. We have free legal advice. Medicare and Medicaid access insurance advice. We have AA. A housing counselor. This warehouse will also be a food bank, a clothing bank, and a soup kitchen. So our goal is to do community service, not to give handouts but to give hand-ups,” Shoaf said.

The most significant contribution at this point for the Shoaf’s would be donating money so they can build the warehouse.

Maricopa Pantry will hold a Multicultural Community Potluck on Thanksgiving day, bringing people and families from all walks together for a meal and companionship.

“We will definitely have turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and all the fixings. And then anything else people decide to bring.”

Community organizations are in full swing this time of year, serving people who need help.

Brown, from St. Mary’s Food Bank, told Northeast Valley News, that it doesn’t stop there. 

“Once the holidays roll over and we get into January, the number of people that volunteer really falls off, but we still need to provide 250,000 meals a day. So if you want to help when we really need it, come during the other ten months of the year when we’re dying for volunteers to help,” Brown said.

Maricopa Pantry also needs volunteers, food donations, and money donations to help run distribution hours through the holiday and beyond.

These organizations thrive off of the generosity of their donors. If you are looking for ways to give back and show your thanks year-round, these organizations are ready for you.

Maricopa Pantry and St. Mary’s are ready to serve you if you need food resources during the holidays or year-round.

There is no signup process, people who need food help, will receive it. No criteria. St. Mary’s will have distribution hours at the Knights distribution center (3131 W Thomas) and the Surprise location (13050 W Elm St.) from 8 am – 12 pm, Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.