Local businesses raised more than $14,000 in donations and close to 2,000 items of canned food for the Kent Food Bank.
Seventy businesses and Neely-O’Brien Elementary School participated this year in the second annual Kent Turkey Challenge.
“The second annual Kent Turkey Challenge was a huge success this year,” said Torklift Central General Manager Matt Lynch. “We raised a total of $14,220 and collected hundreds of pounds of food.”
Officials said the donations went to about a 1,000 families for Thanksgiving and almost all of the food donations were appropriately holiday-themed.
“It’s a great support system,” said Jeniece Choate, executive director of the Kent Food Bank. “If we don’t have businesses supporting us, we don’t have donations to give out. So, it means everything to us.”
Grainger Industrial Supply collected the most money with an $8,480 donation. George M. Stephens D.D.S. collected the most food with 600 items.
On Tuesday, distribution day, the food bank got five palettes of turkeys delivered to the center. About 50 volunteers were on hand to serve the families.
People are still calling to drop off donations to Torklift Central, so there could be more money coming in.
Last year the Turkey Challenge collected more than $10,000 and helped about 950 families for Thanksgiving.
All the participants in this year’s challenge are listed at www.torkliftcentral.com/turkey.
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