As the holiday season approaches, the Fairbanks Community Food Bank is preparing for a record-breaking surge in demand for Thanksgiving meals. With the rising cost of food, the organization is anticipating serving over 13,000 people in a single day, a significant increase from previous years.

Feeding the Community with Compassion and Resilience

Thanksgiving Feast Preparations

The Fairbanks Community Food Bank is rallying the community to help meet the growing need for Thanksgiving staples. "It's Thanksgiving!" exclaims Anne Weaver, the CEO of the organization. "That means we've got all sorts of needs right now for Thanksgiving, everything from turkey, canned yams, cranberries, pies – whatever you like on your Thanksgiving table is fantastic."The food bank is calling on the community to donate non-perishable items, which can be dropped off at food drives or outside of regular business hours. However, they are also in need of perishable items, such as fresh produce and baked goods. "If you've got something that needs to be frozen or refrigerated, 9 to 5 Monday through Friday or 10 to 2 on Saturday work fantastic, we absolutely need perishable items," Weaver emphasizes.

Unprecedented Demand and Community Support

The Fairbanks Community Food Bank is facing an unprecedented level of demand for Thanksgiving meals. "Not only did we provide over 800,000 meals last year alone," Weaver explains, "but on the day before Thanksgiving we're looking at about 3,300 households, that's about 13,000 people in one day that we're looking to touch. That's the biggest that we've ever had, and we don't say that with joy, we say that with the rise in prices of food – we're seeing it. Our numbers are going up like they haven't in many, many, many years."Despite the challenges, Weaver is grateful for the unwavering support of the Fairbanks community. "The biggest thing to me is the incredible willingness of this community to come together and help," she adds. "There's so much division in this world and at the food bank we don't care, we just do it together. I love this community and I'm so thankful."

Ongoing Programs and Initiatives

The Fairbanks Community Food Bank's efforts extend beyond the Thanksgiving holiday. The organization runs a continual roster of programs, including the School Boxes and Food as Medicine campaigns, which aim to address food insecurity in the community year-round.These programs are a testament to the food bank's commitment to serving the community with compassion and resilience. As the Thanksgiving season approaches, the Fairbanks Community Food Bank is poised to rise to the occasion, thanks to the unwavering support of the local community.