MDI Thanksgiving Turkey Baskets – How to Sign Up, How to Donate [VIDEO]

WDEA's Chris Popper sat down with Kelly Pais Roos the coordinator for the MDI Thanksgiving Turkey Basket Program. Because of COVID-19 there have been some changes made not only in how to register to receive a turkey basket but also in terms of donating non-perishable food items for the baskets

To sign up to receive a basket please email 29turkeybaskets@gmail.com or stop in to the Bar Harbor Food Pantry or the Westside Food Pantry and pick up a form. The past years they have distributed up to 275 baskets. You must register to receive a pick up a basket by November 14th. Baskets will be available for pick-up on either Monday November 23rd or Tuesday November 24th.

This year because of the pandemic, they are not asking for fresh pies to be made. They will be distributing pie mixes, pie crusts and the items to make pies to the families with the boxes.

Items for the boxes, and cash for purchases of items for the boxes may be dropped off on Saturday, November 14th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bar Harbor Congregational Church on Mount Desert Street.

They are looking for the following items

• Canned Vegetables - Corn, peas and green beans
• Condensed Milk
• Corn Bread Mix
• Cranberry Sauce
• Gravy
• Jiffy Crust Mix
• Pumpkin Pie Mix
• Rice
• Stuffing

There is a need for help putting the boxes together and for delivering boxes to those that can't pick them up. You can volunteer to put the boxes together or delivering by calling Kelly at 207-266-9427 or emailing her at 29turkeybaskets@gmail.com

They also need children to make art work that they can either put on the boxes or include with the boxes. In the past children have done that at school, but that won't be able to happen this year. Those pictures and art work can me dropped off on November 14th as well!