VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — Author's note: The video above is on file from November 5, 2021.
‘Tis the season to give back, and a church in Virginia Beach is doing just that.
Salt Church has a big goal this year: to collect 200 turkeys.
Lead pastor Leon Dunning said it’s about filling a need in the community and making sure every family has a holiday meal.
“We’re asking our church and our community to bring in ice cold, frozen turkeys for families in need," Dunning said.
Dunning said he reached out not only to his congregation, but the wider community – asking them to do what they can to help our neighbors in need.
Warren Thrasher said donating turkeys puts him in the holiday spirit.
“Yeah, grabbed a couple turkeys. Picked a few up from my mom, as well," Thrasher said.
“You know, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays, and I love getting with family eating, and nothing would make me sadder than not having food.”
This is the fifth year Salt Church has hosted its turkey drop.
“We started out with just a little truck in the front - 20 something turkeys, 30 something turkeys - we upped our goal every year and it gets bigger,” Dunning said.
This is just a small piece of what they do every day to help give back to the community they call home, according to Dunning.
“We love our city, there is a need here," Dunning said. "We are here not just to be a church, not just to be an organization here that has our little thing going on, but we see the bigger picture.”
All of the turkeys collected today are going to the Judeo-Christian Outreach Center.