Addison Township distributes hundreds of turkeys to families ahead of Thanksgiving

Addison Township officials and volunteers distributed turkeys and holiday meal baskets to hundreds of families at the township food pantry in a Thanksgiving outreach event.

Jenna, a reporter with ACTV, opened the segment from the pantry, saying the station was "passing out turkeys for those in need." Julie, a pantry staff member, said the holiday baskets include "the turkey as well as the fixins or the side, side dishes for the holiday meal." She added, "We're expecting between 450 and 500 families today," and noted that roughly matches the pantry's regular monthly usage.

Julie outlined where the turkeys and meals came from: the pantry's Edison Township Community Market, purchases through the Northern Illinois Food Bank at a reduced cost because the pantry is a member, and donations from local partners including Jewel and the DuPage County Sheriff's Department.

Supervisor Bobby Hernandez, introducing Mayor Tom Huddly at the site, said the township was giving away 600 turkeys and described a recent scale-up in services since the current township officials took office. "We've gone from feeding and assisting 80 families to, at the end of this week, after today in our special pantry, feeding over 800 families," Hernandez said.

Mayor Tom Huddly described the event as "a great... giving back to the community," and staff confirmed that donations and supplies came from the Northern Illinois Food Bank, the township's inventory and the sheriff's office, among other donors.

Volunteers and community members worked at the distribution site; speakers described "happy faces" among recipients and said the community came together to meet increased demand.

The segment closed with the ACTV reporter thanking viewers and wishing the community a happy Thanksgiving. No formal votes or policy actions were taken during the visit; the event was a community service and donor-supported distribution.