We talk about this every year – how the food pantries kick up their game during the holidays. They put out their need to help their communities for Thanksgiving and Christmas. The food pantries try to give the families they support a traditional meal for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

The Martin Valley Ranch parks in Penitas are known to support the Penitas Food Pantry throughout the year, and especially during the holidays. In previous years, the community parks have not only helped keep the pantry stocked, but they also helped build their new building and help with stockings for the children for Christmas.

This year has been a little different because the need is so big. One of the gentlemen that helps at the pantry put a call out less than two weeks ago for help. Here is a little bit of Jeff Reardon’s original post on the Enchanted Valley Ranch Facebook Page:

“As many of you know, I help out at the Penitas Food Pantry. The pantry has been working hard, trying to keep up with the growing client level, now at over 400 families, each month. Luckily, they bought meat earlier in the year when it was aplenty and stored it away in their new walk-in freezer and have continued being able to give meat every week. But they were unsuccessful in buying turkeys for Thanksgiving and it doesn’t look good for buying hams for Christmas.”

Jeff proceeded to buy turkeys himself for the pantry and asked for help in getting more. He delivered 24 birds that first week with the hopes of getting at least 100 more each week. Jeff mentioned a sale on turkey at Wal-Mart and HEB and that he would accept cash or check, Cashapp, or Venmo.

He wasn’t sure what he would get from his post, but he was pleasantly surprised with what he was able to do with what he got.

With the help of Kathy Dreis Severance spreading the word, he was able to pick up 96 turkeys last week with the cash that was donated. An additional 39 turkeys were dropped off at his house, the park hall, and the pantry.

“I am so proud and grateful to all my ‘Turkey Angels’ this week,” said Jeff. He was personally able to hand out turkeys last week to some of the poorest families in not only Texas, but the whole United States because of the generosity from the community.

“Of course,” he continued, “we have one more week before Thanksgiving, so we need about another 135 turkeys for this week.”

Jeff is on a mission to finish out Thanksgiving for these families.

“I have faith we will come up with enough turkeys…. But I really am going to need all the help I can get if we are going to provide a Real Christmas meal for all 440+ families that rely on Penitas Food Pantry each month.”

“From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all.”

If you want to help Jeff out, you can call or text him at (715) 781-6080. If you want to reach out to the Penitas Food Pantry, call (956) 330-7776.