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Free Thanksgiving meals serve thousands

Posted at 5:13 PM, Nov 23, 2015
and last updated 2015-11-23 19:13:29-05
TUCSON (KGUN9-TV) - More than one thousand hungry people received a free Thanksgiving meal Monday afternoon at Armory Park.  
 
"I think it's so important for them to feel like a family," said Maria Carrasco, a member of the Promotoras who co-sponsored Monday's meal with Cenpatico Integrated Care and PPEP inc. 
 
Event organizers cooked 65 turkeys and made enough food to feed 1,500 people. Anybody was welcome to attend.      
 
For years the event was held on the south side. This is the first year they brought it to Armory Park. 
 
"There's a lot of need on this side," said Carrasco. "There's a lot of homeless people and a lot of elderly people who are not going to eat turkey because they can not cook it."     
 
More than 100 volunteers helped serve the food, including students from PPEP Tech High School. All of the food prepared was donated. 
 
"We feel the need to give," said Carrasco. "I think it's better to serve than receive. This is about Tucson becoming a family."
 
The event was the first of four community Thanksgiving meals that will take place this week. A similar event will take place Tuesday at El Pueblo Regional Center, 101 W Irvington Rd from 11:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.
 
On Wednesday, the Gospel Rescue Mission will serve meals at 312 W. 38th Street from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. And on Thursday, the Salvation Army will hold it's annual Thanksgiving meal from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at 1145 E. Ft. Lowell Rd.