Annual SHU Turkey Drive Provides Thanksgiving Meals for Community

Students hand out hundreds of turkeys and bags of nonperishable goods at St. Charles Borromeo Church

The Sacred Heart University community raised nearly $15,000 to date to purchase 500 turkeys for Bridgeport families just in time for Thanksgiving. Fundraising continues to help additional families throughout the month of December.

SHU’s student government hosted its 12th annual turkey drive and welcomed donations from friends of the University, faculty, staff and students throughout November. The generous help of alum Harry Garafalo ’80, his nephew James Garafalo and ShopRite of Milford ensured the University would be able to give hundreds of turkeys to community members.

In addition to the annual turkey drive, the office of community engagement and SHU athletics conducted its yearly food drive to collect nonperishable goods. Thanks to the help of Arlete Perez Paez, assistant director of community engagement, participants brought in thousands of items that were then blessed at the University’s recent interfaith service.

In keeping with tradition, on a chilly Tuesday morning two days before Thanksgiving, staff, student government members, members of the SHU men’s lacrosse team and members of the office of community engagement gathered at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Bridgeport to hand out turkeys and the divvied-up food items. Dressed in heavy jackets, SHU-branded scarfs and hats, the smiling student-volunteers distributed the goods to grateful community members.

Cars pulled up, popped open their trunks and students placed reusable shopping bags filled to the brim with goods. Community members thanked the students for what would become their Thanksgiving meals.

“This is one of my favorite SHU traditions, because it brings together our campus and greater Bridgeport communities, reminding us of our shared humanity and celebrating this time of gratitude,” said Annie Johnson, director of community engagement. “It’s inspiring to see SHU students, faculty and staff come together to address the issue of food insecurity and commit to sharing our blessings with neighbors.”

Student government starting planning and organizing the drive months ago. Senior Megan Clifford and junior Anna Macaulay were thrilled to see the club’s hard work pay off with the handing out of Thanksgiving turkeys and food.

“I love seeing the impact this event has on so many lives in the community,” said Clifford, student government president.

“I like being out here in the community,” said Macaulay, student government’s director of community and inclusion. “We really just want to be good neighbors and make sure local families get what they need for the holidays.”

The SHU community can continue to donate to the turkey drive and help families throughout the holiday season by visiting the drive’s fundraising page. On December 9, the SHU Alumni Association, in collaboration with alum Doug Wade ’77 will be hosting the distribution at Wade’s Dairy. Each turkey donation will include other contributions from Wade’s like milk and eggs. Nuovo Pasta will provide packages of pasta.

At the University’s annual interfaith service held the week before Thanksgiving, students, staff and faculty gave thanks for their many blessings. The SHU choir sang joyful songs, and community members read psalms and prayers.

Venerable Shim Bo, the University’s Buddhist chaplain, reminded the group gathered in the Chapel of the Holy Spirit that many people, especially during the holidays, suffer from loneliness and lack of human connection. He asked everyone to give “nonperishable heart items” such as attention, patience, thanks, gratitude, hugs and smiles to others.

“Let us stock the shelves of loneliness with connection,” he said.