Vienna church seeks 480-plus Thanksgiving baskets by Nov. 24

Our Lady of Good Counsel Catholic Church in Vienna has received more than 480 Thanksgiving dinner requests from neighbors in need, according to the parish's announcement of its 13th annual Thanksgiving Dinner Drive.

The church is asking donors to assemble and deliver food baskets to the parish on the morning of Nov. 24. Last year, the drive provided 450 Thanksgiving dinner baskets, according to the drive's SignUpGenius page.

The baskets will support families at nine area elementary schools: Clearview, Oakton, Freedom Hill, Marshall Road, Louise Archer, Stenwood, Flint Hill, Hybla Valley and Camelot. Cedar Lane School will receive gift cards only. The drive also benefits OLGC's St. Vincent DePaul Society and Vienna's One Neighborhood Foundation.

Each basket is sized for a family of six. Organizers ask donors to include a $25 Walmart gift card so families can buy a turkey and fresh items.

No turkeys go in the basket itself.

Donors should pack food in plastic bins, laundry baskets or hampers rather than cardboard boxes, which organizers say do not hold up through a day of handling. No alcohol or frozen and refrigerated foods are accepted, because the drive has no cold storage.

A suggested grocery list includes potatoes, stuffing, canned fruits and vegetables, pasta and sauce, rice, dried beans, peanut butter, oatmeal, cooking oil and dessert mixes. Organizers encourage donors to add pantry staples that stretch beyond one meal, noting that many recipients face ongoing food insecurity.

Families can tuck in a favorite Thanksgiving recipe and its ingredients as an optional personal touch.

Donors who cannot deliver on Nov. 24 can check the SignUpGenius page for alternate dates. Detailed drop-off times and procedures will be emailed to participants. Questions go to drive coordinator Meg Gillespie at [email protected].

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