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200 South Texas families receive an unexpected Thanksgiving blessing

Thanksgiving meals
Posted at 2:49 PM, Nov 22, 2023
and last updated 2023-11-22 15:50:28-05
  • REAL INC. raised $7,000 through South Texas donors to purchase food for families.
  • REAL INC. partnered with the Coastal Bend Food Bank to buy 200 turkeys and all the sides families needed this Holiday season.
  • Families were chosen through the REAL INC.'s Community Food Pantry.
  • One family wasn't prepared for a turkey in their Thanksgiving meal due to life struggles the last few years.

Two hundred families received turkeys and all the sides thanks to generous donors around South Texas.

The holidays can be a struggle for many families.

Delfina Perez and her small family are spending the holidays together, but they weren't planning on having a turkey this year because of financial and medical struggles.

That was until she - along with other families - got some big help.

"I was not going to get a turkey this week – I mean this month. I said I'm going to make some chicken. Now, I'm going to make my turkey," Perez said.

On Tuesday, REAL INC., provided turkeys and all the fixings for families in need.

REAL, which stands for Rural Economic Assistance League, helps provide transportation to anyone in need throughout 11 Coastal Bend counties.

After opening a community food pantry this past year, they decided to give back this Thanksgiving.

"We were able to raise seven thousand dollars. With that seven thousand dollars we were able to purchase to purchase turkeys and sides for families. So, they can have a wonderful Thanksgiving with their family," Pam Garza, manager of Mobility Management Services for REAL INC said.

Garza said it was thanks to several sponsors they were able too raise money to buy all the food needed from the Coastal Bend Food Bank.

For Perez, she told KRIS 6 News that she was grateful for this Holiday blessing.

She wiped away tears of joy as she thanked REAL INC. employees.

"Well, I say thank you very much for everything. You all help me. And I appreciate everything that I get," Perez said.

Perez drove off with a thankful heart, as did several other families in Alice.

These frozen turkeys are more than just a meal this Thanksgiving Holiday - to these families, they mean so much more.
 
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