Business at Joe Mendoza’s auto body shop has been slow lately, resulting in decreased income just as Thanksgiving approaches.
Mendoza, 39, of National City, admits that “it’s been a great struggle” trying to put a Thanksgiving meal on the table for his wife and seven children since his income has been limited.
Mendoza was just one of 470 other low-income families in National City who stood in line Monday morning for Mayor Ron Morrison’s seventh annual free Turkey Giveaway event at Cornerstone Church of San Diego.
Families who were selected by the local school districts walked away with a free frozen turkey and a bag full of stuffing, mashed potatoes and canned foods.
All 470 turkeys were donated by National City businesses.
“This is a very nice gesture, especially when we are struggling nowadays,” Mendoza said. “My children are really, really pleased and happy. I can tell you that this helps provide for our home.”
This was Mendoza’s first time receiving a free turkey, but for Ana Coronado she has depended on the assistance for a while. Coronado’s daughter Ana has been selected by the National School District for the last three years as a recipient of a free turkey.
Coronado, a homemaker, said it is hard to make ends meet on her husband’s income during the holiday season.
“It would be a little bit more of a struggle to have a Thanksgiving because that would mean taking other stuff away from our budget especially with Christmas coming,” she said.
Families from the school district were not the only ones getting to feed their family for Thanksgiving.
Members of the U.S. Navy were also recipients of a free turkey.
Petty Officer Curtis Morris, 30 said events like this lets him know there is community support for the nation’s military.
“Sometimes people in the military don’t feel like everybody supports us but when we come out to events like this it makes you feel like you’re appreciated for what you’re doing,” he said.
Morrison said he continues to host this event because more and more families in National City throughout the years are left without a Thanksgiving meal.
“We are a community who cares about our people,” Morrison said. “We want every family to have that opportunity to still have a little bit of that American Dream on Thanksgiving Day.”
Morrison said when he held the event for the first time six years ago, they only gave out 30 turkeys and every year since he has since the number of recipients increase to a record 470 this year.
