Chicopee soup kitchen seeks turkey donations as costs rise

Thanksgiving is coming up and local food pantries need your help. 22 News reporter Gabriella Villas-Boas joins us live in studio after speaking with Lorraine's Soup Kitchen. That's right. With the holidays coming up, local food donation volunteers tell us they need extra support to help families have their Thanksgiving dinner. With the prices of groceries rising across the country, it's getting harder for some families to afford food for Thanksgiving. The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that the cost of supermarket food has gone up about 1.8 percent since last September. Volunteers at Lorraine's Soup Kitchen in Chicopee are doing their best to make sure those struggling still have food to put on the table. Not a lot of people get food around this time, so I like to help out. Make sure everybody you know gets full stomachs for Thanksgiving this year. The soup kitchen has many different foods to choose from, including baked goods, fruits and vegetables, and a variety of non-perishable items. The executive director tells us that anyone looking to donate is welcome to stop by, especially with frozen turkeys and other non-perishable Thanksgiving staples. Very important, and we're open Monday through Friday, so they can come in to make deliveries anytime between 9 and 6. And if they can't come to us, we can also go to them. Lorraine's Soup Kitchen says they have many food drives within the community coming up where they will be picking up donations. We were here for anyone that needs us, you know, come in. Our pantry is open Monday through Friday 10 to 2 and if they can't reach us here at this location to go on to our Facebook page and we have a calendar on there of where we'll be in the community with our mobile truck. Casey says their mobile truck has the same items as the Soup Kitchen and their Facebook page with the schedule of where the truck will be is called Lorraine's Soup Kitchen and Pantry Inc. The executive director reminds visitors that dinner is also available at the soup kitchen from 4 to 5:30 p.m. for dine-in or take-out, Monday through Friday. Working for you, I'm Gabriella Villas-Boas, 22 News.