28th Annual Thanksgiving in the Park

For the past 27 years, the Guadalupe Center has always had enough donations to provide Thanksgiving dinner to thousands of individuals in need.  Jim Shannon, one of the volunteers who started Thanksgiving in the Park with his wife Kathy, is hoping this year won’t be any different.  The program is still in need of funding and food donations to pull off one of the largest Thanksgiving feasts in Southwest Florida. 

On Thursday, November 25th, more than 100 volunteers will be serving turkey and all the trimmings to an estimated 3,000 deserving Immokalee residents who are struggling this holiday.  “The dinner’s recipients are mainly mothers and fathers with children who are living at the poverty level or below,” adds Kathy Shannon.  “The community response has been phenomenal.”

The Guadalupe Center partners with the members of Moorings Presbyterian Church and St. Williams Catholic Church for the coordination of volunteers and acceptance of items needed for the event.  Each church will be accepting cooked turkeys and pies on Wednesday, November 24th.  Donations may be made at Moorings Presbyterian Church from 9am to 3pm or at St. Williams Catholic Church from 10am to 12pm.  Monetary gifts may be made online or can be sent to the Guadalupe Center, 509 Hope Circle, Immokalee, FL 34142.  Thanks to the overwhelming response from the community, our need for volunteers has been filled.