On Monday, November 20, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz jump-started the holiday season by distributing 1,000 Thanksgiving turkeys and 5 ½ tons of trimmings to representatives of 90 Brooklyn community groups at Borough Hall Plaza. A legion of volunteers worked to distribute the turkeys, sweet potatoes, apples, collard greens, and baking potatoes that will provide Thanksgiving meals for needy Brooklynites at senior centers, soup kitchens, churches, and women’s shelters across the borough.

Thousands of needy Brooklynites will enjoy a bountiful Thanksgiving thanks to the generosity of the project’s partners, including Health Plus represented by Executive Director Tom Early, Fulton Mall Improvement Association and Metrotech Business Improvement District represented by Executive Director Mike Weiss, the Korean-American Brooklyn Association represented by President Insik Hwang, Fairway Market represented by the Glickberg family, Whole Foods Market, and FreshDirect represented by Senior Vice President for Human Resources Jim Moore.

“With 1,000 turkeys at the ready this year, our Thanksgiving food distribution will feed even more hungry Brooklynites,” said Borough President Markowitz. “We thank our generous sponsors for helping those families who otherwise might not be able to share in the joy of a turkey feast this Thanksgiving. Brooklyn is home to everyone from everywhere, and each group adds its own flavor to the feast as we give thanks for the beautiful harmony we make together at Thanksgiving and all year long.”