St. Mary’s Food Bank distributes Thanksgiving supplies to record number of Arizona families

PHOENIX — After three days of service wrapped up on Wednesday afternoon, St. Mary’s Food Bank supplied a record number of families food for the Thanksgiving holiday, the nonprofit announced.

Around 12:45 p.m. the last car left the distribution center in Phoenix with meal essentials — “a turkey, holiday food box and produce bag” — and 11,876 families were served at the food bank’s Phoenix and Surprise locations.

Adding in the other centers’ haul across Arizona, St. Mary’s and its 250 employees, plus, more than 2,000 volunteers, served a record 25,523 families.

All distribution centers were closed following the food drive’s conclusion to honor St. Mary’s staff and their own families, and they will reopen on Monday at 7:30 a.m.

St. Mary’s Food Bank receives lots of local financial support

The Arizona State University football team, Arizona Diamondbacks and Phoenix Police Department were among those who donated their time and money to make this record-breaking Thanksgiving food drive a reality.

Notably, the effort of one family spearheaded by Jeff and Linda McNeely, provided 1,350 turkeys to help St. Mary’s achieve its goal of 24,000.

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