The first pallets of frozen turkeys hit the pavement a little before 6:45 a.m. Tuesday outside Suburban Access in Homewood. By 8 a.m., volunteers and staff had sorted stacks of boxed meals, lined up the sides and organized the parking lot for the steady flow of families and partner organizations that would arrive through the morning.

The annual Thanksgiving distribution has become a fixture at Suburban Access. This year marks 13 years of the program, which now provides 1,000 complete meals to families across the South Suburbs. Outreach Director Nick Koster said the need continues to climb.

“The demand this year is especially high,” Koster said. “But the generosity from the community has also been amazingly high.”

The organization works with about 17 different groups, including school districts, shelters and social service agencies, to distribute the meals. 

“We give away a thousand complete Thanksgiving meals,” Koster said. “We started with 100, 13 years ago.”

Planning begins months ahead. 

“Securing 1,000 turkeys at this time of year is not easy,” he said. “The prepping starts in March. We start fundraising in July. Local businesses collect sides in October. We ask people to sponsor a family for $25.”

Koster said demand within their own programs nearly doubled. 

“Last year we had about 60 families on our internal list,” he said. “This year we have 122.”

He said Suburban Access builds in extra meals for walk-ins. 

“If people say they’re in need, we put them on a list,” he said. “At the end of the day, if we have some left, absolutely take it.”

For families who came to the building, the support extended beyond the holiday meal. They were also able to shop in the free clothing closet, which included coats, shoes, children’s clothes and extra food. The setup gave families a chance to move at their own pace.

Executive Director Geni Cutler said food requests increased sharply about six weeks ago.

“People weren’t certain that their Link card would be reloaded,” she said. “We fill 35 bags every week for school-aged kids to take home for the weekend, so we always keep food here.”

Cutler recalled launching the first Thanksgiving distribution through Homewood Rotary more than a decade ago. 

“Rotary was doing maybe 15 families,” she said. “I thought, ‘We can do this.’ We did 25 the next year, then 100. We just kept going.”

A thousand meals, she said, is still manageable. 

“Whatever they need, we try to meet it,” she said. “If we need more, I’ll run across the street to Jewel and buy more.”

Cutler said the objective has stayed the same over the years. 

“Provide complete Thanksgiving meals to anyone on our list and build in enough extras so no one walks away empty-handed.”

A family’s first visit and familiar faces

Llubia Aragon came with her mother and her two young children. It was their first time at the distribution.

“I like that you can shop around and be left alone to do your thing,” Aragon said. “You pick whatever you want, whatever you need. They’re really kind.”

For others, the event is a yearly stop. Terrie Thomas said she has been coming for years with her son, who has disabilities, because the staff treats her with dignity. 

“They don’t give me a hard time. They’re beautiful,” she said.

She offered her own advice for others seeking help. 

“Be patient and people help you,” she said. “Don’t nobody owe you anything. Work for yourself. Put God first.”

Volunteers and partner organizations

Volunteers moved steadily between the parking lot and the loading area as meals were packed into cars.

Seth Whitson, volunteering for his third year, said he shows up because of the impact.

“This is a distribution point for the entire south suburban area,” he said. “There’s so much need these days. Any relief is good.”

Staff from South Suburban PADS were also on site. Housing case manager Dwayne Murphy said he will deliver meals to multiple homes.

“Every year we do this,” Murphy said. “Between today and tomorrow, I’ll probably deliver to six or seven houses myself.”

Murphy said the importance of the work becomes clear when someone moves into stable housing. 

“My first time housing a client from a shelter into an apartment, the tears and excitement let you know you can make a difference,” he said.

Angelica Rodriguez, who works with the CFFC 7 Healthy Families program, came for her third year of volunteering. 

“It helps my family and the community,” Rodriguez said. “You don’t have to feel ashamed or embarrassed to ask for help or to give back.”

She said some families she works with have donated clothing even when offered assistance. 

“It goes both ways,” she said.

By late morning, most of the meals that had been unloaded were already on their way to homes, schools and partner agencies across the region.

“We’re not solving the long-term problem,” Cutler said. “But for today, a thousand families will have a warm meal. And that matters.”