Jackson Police Department hands out free turkeys

JACKSON, Mich. (WILX) - The Jackson Police Department hosted a turkey drive-thru to help families get a turkey on the table this Thanksgiving.

This is the second annual turkey drive-thru event the police department has hosted. In 2022, 150 turkeys were distributed in under an hour. In 2023, Jackson Officers handed out 300 frozen turkeys to accommodate even more residents.

“We have a lot of people in our community, certainly in the city, that need a little extra help at this time of year, around the holidays,” said Elmer Hitt, the director of police and fire services. “Lots of things going on in people’s lives, lot of reasons people are having a harder time this year, but just one way we try to partner with Walmart and give something back.”

The event was organized through the police department’s group violence intervention strategy.

Those who missed Monday’s turkey drive in Jackson will have another chance to get a free turkey on Wednesday. The MLK Recreation Center is partnering with Grand River Brewery to provide frozen turkeys to local families. The turkey giveaway will take place on Nov. 22 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

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