Three nonprofit organizations in the Triangle are distributing free turkeys to families in need, while also calling attention to hunger and poverty at the beginning of the holiday season.
The turkeys, provided through a partnership with Butterball, will go to more than 700 families through the following agencies: Community of Hope in Garner, Interfaith Food Shuttle in Raleigh and Urban Ministries in Durham. Clients received vouchers for the free birds and were scheduled to pick them up Monday and today.
In 2011, more than 50 million Americans lived in households labeled as "food insecure." North Carolina is one of seven states in the highest household food insecurity category.
One in five children under age 18 lives in food insecure conditions, according to figures from the Interfaith Food Shuttle. That includes 47,000 children in Wake County and 12,800 children in Durham County. Food insecurity is the scientific term for hunger. It is defined as a lack of access to enough food for an active and healthy lifestyle.
Butterball CEO Rod Brenneman hands out turkeys as part of the annual giveaway events, which also feature Raleigh culinary students giving tips on holiday cooking. Butterball uses the occasion to bring attention to its Turkey Talk Line, a hotline made famous by a scene in the old NBC television show "The West Wing" in which President Barlett asks for advice on cooking stuffing to the proper temperature.
