We are so blessed here at Saint John the Evangelist to have the opportunity to lead a long-running service program in Naples, Thanksgiving in the Park. Started over 32 years ago, Thanksgiving in the Park provides an ecumenical and community-wide food program to feed thousands of people in Immokalee on Thanksgiving Day who would not be able to afford a Thanksgiving meal for themselves and their families. This effort is not just for Thanksgiving Day, however, but requires volunteers and activities all week long. Here is a breakdown of the events and opportunities for you to join in on:
November 19 & 20: Bring Your Turkey to Church Weekend – Bring a pre-cooked and frozen turkey to church during your weekend Mass attendance to ensure we have enough food for over 2,000 people. Pies are also welcome. The Knights of Columbus will collect the turkeys from you to store in our walk-in.- November 23: Turkey Preparations – Bring your knives and carving utencils and help us shred the turkeys, as well as prepare the pans of mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, and other items for shipment to Immokalee. Two hour shifts will be set between 9 AM and 3 PM so we can get the food ready to go. Youth and Young Adults are especially needed to carry the pans of turkey and fixings.
- November 24: Thanksgiving in the Park – Assist us with setup starting at 7 AM on Thanksgiving Day. We will need volunteers throughout the day for preparing, cooking, and serving the food. Support is also needed for breaking down all the material and packing it up to bring back to Saint John.
- November 25: Cleanup Morning – We will bring all the pots, pans and other items back to Saint John to clean and pack up for storage for the next year. We will be starting around 9 AM.
If you are interested in supporting this amazing event, please contact JP at: [email protected]