TULSA, Okla. — Several organizations in and around Tulsa are providing turkeys and trimmings for families who are finding it hard to make ends meet with inflation and high gas prices and therefore, cannot afford the extra burden of preparing a holiday meal.

On Friday, the staff at Monte Cassino Catholic School near East 21st Street and South Lewis Avenue in Tulsa loaded up 25 boxes of canned goods that their students’ families donated for those in need this season.

But, that’s down from the donations they collected in previous years.

Tracie Kutmas is the Head of School at Monte Cassino.

“Last year, we weren’t able to do this, I think probably because of COVID,” she said, “So, comparing to two years ago, it was a slight decrease. All of our families are very excited to contribute where they can and a lot of kiddos brought in a lot of good stuff for the needy.”

Those boxes will go toward feeding about 3,000 people around six school districts in and around Tulsa for the Thanksgiving holiday.

That’s according to Rev. W.R. Casey, Jr., president of Christian Ministers Alliance, who organized Friday night’s turkey giveaway.

But, Casey says he still needs donations to help meet the rising demand for help when inflation makes these purchases more of a burden for families.

“We’ve noticed a decline and we need help,” he said.

Cash donations, turkeys, hams are the biggest need.

The Rural Impact Food Pantry in Inola is also seeing an increase in demand with less to give.

Arnetta Cotton heads up the pantry.

“We got 300 turkeys last year,” she said, “This year, it’s 480. We don’t have enough for the demand.” Last year, Cotton had to turn away 70 to 80 people.

Cars lined up hours before the turkey distribution on Friday.

“These households have six to eight, some have 12, some even have 16, which again, speaks to people are joining their families together in order to save rent, you know house payments and things like that,” Cotton said.

Patricia Downing was first in the line, arriving two-and-a-half hours early.

She came from Catoosa. It’s her first year coming to the pantry to ask for help for Thanksgiving.

When asked if she needed help this year because of inflation and gas prices, Downing said, “Yes.”

“On a fixed income you just don’t have a whole lot to spare,” she said, “And then, I am also picking up some turkeys for some elderly that don’t drive and can’t come here.”

Some of the people who serve the community year-round also needed help for Thanksgiving this year.

Trisha German is the Public Information Officer for Muskogee County EMS.

She came to the pantry to collect 73 turkeys for her co-workers.

“We do have quite a few medics and employees that have multiple live with them…their immediate family and they’ve got four or five kids, maybe even mom and dad living with them,” she said.

With 480 turkeys served on Friday, Cotton said she already had 100 phone calls from people she could not help with the turkey give-away.

But, she says, she expects where the need is great, the community comes together and fills that need.

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