Oct 22, 2022 4 min read

Thanksgiving is less than five weeks away, and while many Washington County families are planning their holiday dinners, other families are struggling to make ends meet as they face rising costs of food, utilities, clothes, and other goods and services due to inflation.

The 2000 Turkeys campaign is underway, and with the help of generous Washington County residents, businesses and organizations, 2000 Turkeys aims to once again provide Thanksgiving dinners to Washington County families in need.

All of the money raised goes directly to helping Washington County families, in partnership with Greater Washington County Food Bank, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, and City Mission through its Bags of Love program.

2000 Turkeys has provided Thanksgiving dinners for our neighbors in need for 38 years, and this year, the need is greater than ever.

A growing number of families are struggling with food insecurity, food bank directors say, and food banks are expecting record numbers this Thanksgiving.

Patti Sabo, pantry lead for Pittsburgh Food Bank’s Allenport pantry in Washington County, noted the number of families served there has soared from 80 in June to about 120 in October.

Greater Washington County Food Bank served 7,000 families in August, up from 6,000 families in July, and the numbers are continuing to increase.

We’re thankful for the generosity of the Washington County community, and their willingness to step up to help provide Thanksgiving dinners through 2000 Turkeys.

Thanks goes out to Noble Environmental Specialty Services in Canonsburg, which donated $10,000 to 2000 Turkeys on Thursday.

Said Alex Sulkowski, vice president and director at Noble Environmental, “We’re all from around here, we all grew up here, we live here, and when the opportunity presented itself to help, we jumped at the chance.”

It’s the donations, large and small, that will help 2000 Turkeys reach our goal of providing Thanksgiving dinners for more than 4,000 families. The 2000 Turkeys committee, along with cos-sponsors Observer-Reporter and WJPA, are grateful for all of the contributions, and encourage all of you to donate whatever amount you can.

Please send a check to 2000 Turkeys, P.O. Box 2000, Washington, Pa., 15301.

Thank you to the following for your donation:

Noble Environmental Specialty Services, $10,000

Charles Bowers, $50

Henrietta Burns, in memory of Bill Burns, $25

David and Barbara Castora, $25

Timothy and Mary Baker, $100

April Leyda, $5

Mary Bier, $50

Steven and Susan Wolf, $500

The Bertha Stimmel Circle of West Washington United Methodist Church, $25

Beverly A. Romano, in memory of Sam Romano, $50

Earl and Jane Phillis, $50

Colleen and Gary Craig, $25

George and Mary Ann Lucas, $50

Patricia Winters, $25

CHROME Federal Credit Union, $500

Dick and Margaret White, in memory of John Junior Reck, $25

Lynn and P. Michael Kletter, $100

Dorothy Clutter, $100

Joanne Schmutz, $100

Ellen and Robert DeBlasio, $50

Betsy Behanna, $50

Richard Bryant, $50

John and Mary Ellen West, $25

Lawrence and Maria Hunt, $100

Patricia Maggi, $50

David and Karen Galentine, $200

Gene and Cindy Beottie, in memory of mom, Rose Liptock, Frank Larimer and Eunice Carter, $100

Donald Brookman, $100

Mary Vraninin, in memory of George Vraninin, $20

Elmer and Judy Ealy, $25

Raymond J. Ruffalo Jr. and Linda Ruffalo, $50

Sandra Hart-Pettit, $50

Chery and Dennis Fee, $50

Anonymous, $50

Harry and Nancy Moore, $50

William and Ginny Watson, $50

Thomas and Patricia Manko, $30

Elaine and William Johnson, $50

Beverly Pabian, $25

Martin Beichner Jr. and Judy Beichner, $300

D.E. Wolbert, $25

Dr. Franklin and Dr. Karen Sue Kuzy, $50

Linda Wilson Kacvinsky, in loving memory of Charles Kacvinsky Sr., $50

Willam and Sandra Hewitt, $25

Marie Taylor, in memory of my husband, Paul W. Taylor Sr., $50

Charles and Peggy White, in memory of Raymond and Mary Kifer, $100

James McDonald, $300

Joan Steiminger, $50

Phyllis Matheny, $25

Joanne K. Romboski, in memory of my husband, Dr. Larry Romboski, $100

Patricia A. Reed, $20

Jane L. Ashmore, $25

Dale and Victoria DiMarzio, $25

Della Hritsko, $50

Ted and Phyllis Dutton, $50

Lillian and Bernard Veres, $25

Anonymous, $200

Roy and Judy Schulte, in memory of son-in-law Scott Lock, $100

Rosemarie and Willard Boswell, $20

Skip and Linda DiSibio, $35

Allan and Nancy Brooks, $50

Julie Lynn and Michael McLaughlin, $200

Willa Johnson, in memory of husband, Gene Johnson, $25

Anonymous, $50

Danny and Debbie Trubiana, $50

Thomas John Day Jr. and Michelle Day, $100

Bob and Dani Iams, $50

Twila and Jordan Cain, $50

Ronald and Linda Luisi, $50

Dolores Jennings, in memory of Ray L. Jennings, $200

Marko Brigich and family, in memory of Marilyn Brigich, $100

Daniel Halulko, $50

Charles and Betty Roberts, in memory of Byron Smialek, $50

Joseph and Laverne Mals, $50

Ray and Sue Wilk, $50

Lloyd and Barbara Dearolph, $100

Sandra and Robert Hohn, $100

Albert F. DeVenney Jr., $50

Deborah Sethman, in memory of Butch, $20

Dave and Charlotte Resek, $25

First United Methodist Church, $200

Robert Cunningham, in memory of “Bo,” $50

George and Linda Pescho, $30

David Cushma, in memory of Frances Cushma, $25

Frank and Suzanne Gomez, in memory of Adam Getto, $50

Jacqueline Scarborough, $100

Robert Wicker III and Karen Wicker, $100

James and Judith Wheeler, $100

David and Joyce Chambers, $100

Diane Bianchin, $25

Frank and Sandy Westcott, $50

Deborah Rubis, $25

Richard Dotts and Adrienne Guelker, $25

Knights of Columbus St. Oscar Romero Council 3291, $100