It is time again for us to turn our thoughts to those members of our community who are struggling to make ends meet on a daily basis.

We are asking the families of Toms River FC to help make this Thanksgiving a happy one for as many Toms River families as we can.

Last year, TRFC families raised 270 baskets for those in need in our community. 18 schools and organizations benefited from our club’s generosity. The success of this yearly food drive could not be possible without the commitment of the club teams and the board of TRFC.

This is the 9th year for the TRFC Thanksgiving Food Drive and in the previous 8 years we have provided 1,712 full dinner baskets to families in our community.

In years past we have asked our club teams to put together one dinner basket or to donate a gift card toward the food drive.  This year we are asking all teams wishing to participate to donate gift cards ONLY.  Approximate cost of a basket is $50. 

If your team still would still like to put together a Thanksgiving Dinner basket, please do so.  All of these items should be packaged into a large reusable plastic container with a tight snap-on lid (no paper bags or cardboard boxes please).

Shop Rite has, for the 9th year in a row, graciously volunteered to donate turkeys to our cause, so we will not need to provide turkeys as part of each team's basket until we reach that number. Shop Rite has approved their biggest contribution to our Food Drive, donating 250 turkeys.

Each team should provide the following items:

• 2 cans of turkey gravy
• 5lb bag of potatoes
• 1 bag of fresh carrots
• 1 bag of fresh onions
• 1 bag of fresh celery
• 1 bag of stuffing mix
• 2 cans of corn
• 2 cans of peas
• 1 package of dinner rolls (not the refrigerated kind)
• 1 can of cranberry sauce
• 1 fresh apple pie (not frozen)
• 1 fresh pumpkin pie (not frozen)
• 1 gallon of apple juice
• 1 turkey baking foil tray

It is VERY IMPORTANT that you take into account the expiration date on all perishable items, and plan your shopping trip accordingly.

If your team will be giving a gift card, get in touch with Kevin Leddy and get it to him no later than Sunday, November 10th. This will allow us to take the gift cards and do the bulk shopping to convert them to additional baskets.

Those teams who will be donating baskets should drop them off , Thanksgiving basket drop off on Sunday, November 24th from 12-2pm at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 1500 Hooper Ave. Toms River (across from TR Intermediate East).  Dinners will be delivered to families on Monday, November 25th.

The TRFC coordinator for the food drive is Kevin Leddy. Kevin can be reached at 732-267-9498 or at [email protected] 

If anyone would like to drop off baskets before the defined time of November 24^th, or has any questions, please email, call, text, or otherwise contact Kevin.

 

Anyone who is in need of community service hours, we are looking for volunteers on Sunday, November 24^th. 

If any team wants to provide more than one dinner, that would be greatly appreciated!

Please help us make this a Happy Thanksgiving for all the families of Toms River!