Gifts of Love Provides Thanksgiving Dinners for Families in Need

From the turkeys to the fixings and desserts, Thanksgiving can be a pricey meal, especially for families struggling financially.

So Gifts of Love in Avon is stepping in to help. 

The Avon non-profit collected 200 turkeys from donors and Foodshare in Bloomfield to give out to families in need in the Farmington Valley and Greater Hartford region. The Basket Brigade of Connecticut also donated 75 baskets "full of an entire Thanksgiving meal" for Gifts of Love to give to families in the area, according to Gifts of Love Executive Director Diana Goode. 

Avon Public Schools, a magnet school in town and Avon organizations pitched in, hosting drives "to help us meet the need," Goode wrote in an email to Patch, including Avon Middle, Roaring Brook Elementary, the Capitol Region Education Council's Reggio Magnet School of the Arts, Avon High Leos Club, Women's Health USA and many others.  

"People can still contribute - we are giving out turkeys through Wednesday," Goode said. "Many of our families could not be able to afford a traditional turkey dinner without the help of our donors - this is truly an example of Families Helping Families."

Gifts of Love will also help families in need with their holiday gift shopping through its annual Holiday Store, which opens Dec. 3 for clients. 

Gifts of Love is located at 35 East Main Street in Avon.