TULSA, Okla. — A Tulsa non-profit is seeing a 37% increase in the need for Thanksgiving baskets this year. 2 News went to Restore Hope as they provided a solution for Tulsa families.
It’s a well-established assembly line at Restore Hope’s south Tulsa campus. The team of volunteers moves quickly filing up boxes and baskets with a Thanksgiving feast.
“All of my back volunteers are pulling bread, potatoes, onions, turkey,” said Solomon Godwin.
Solomon Godwin is the pantry assistant helping coordinate the effort. He says growing up in a low-income household, he knows just how much Thanksgiving means to these families.
“Thanksgiving is abundance,” said Godwin. “It’s hope. It gives us a chance to not worry about food and just focus on the people around us and our family or friends.”
On November 26, the team served 250 families.
“I’m so grateful,” said Michael Fields. “This is a blessing to me.
Michael Fields was grabbing meals with his friend and her children. They’ll spend Thanksgiving Day together.
“Just makes me happy,” said Fields. “Makes me so happy.”
Bringing joy and hope to these families is the mission, says Restore Hope Executive Director Jeff Jaynes.
“If we can help them through that crisis,” said Jeff Jaynes. “If we can help with just a little bit of hope that tomorrow is going to be a better day than today, if a turkey and cranberry sauce can do that, that’s a pretty great thing.”
Jaynes say they’ve seen a 37% increase in need this year. It mirrors a new report from Feeding America saying food insecurity increased 6% in 2023 across the country.
Jaynes points to increased food and rent prices as contributing factors.
“You might be feeling scarcity,” said Jaynes. “You open up that pantry and there’s nothing there at Thanksgiving we want people to have a full pantry.”
More than 50 volunteers made the basket giveaway possible. They’ll be back on November 27 to serve more than 400 additional families.
“We’re really grateful for all of the volunteers because we absolutely could not have done it without them,” said Jaynes.
As the team gets ready for the next outreach, they’re reflecting on their 30 years of filling up the Thanksgiving table for Tulsa families.
“We’re sharing abundance,” said Jaynes.
Over the last month, volunteers have been registering people for the Thanksgiving baskets and putting them together. More than 150 people have been helpful in that effort.
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