The Lord's Kitchen, Churchill Downs Provide Thanksgiving Food Boxes To Needy Neighbors on Tuesday, Nov. 23

Nov 22, 2010 John Asher

Volunteers from The Lord’s Kitchen and Churchill Downs will again become partners beneath the historic Twin Spires providing needy families and neighbors with frozen turkeys and boxes of food during the annual Thanksgiving Family Food Box Giveaway on Tuesday, Nov. 23.

Nearly 600 families were served during the event last year and a similar number is expected to receive turkeys and boxes of holiday trimmings in the distribution that scheduled for 10 a.m. (EST) Tuesday in the track’s Paddock Pavilion.  This year’s renewal marks the fourth consecutive year that Churchill Downs has teamed with The Lord’s Kitchen for the holiday Family Food Box Giveaway.

The food boxes, which contain canned goods and non-perishable items sufficient to feed a family of four on Thanksgiving, are being assembled today by volunteers from The Lord’s Kitchen and members of the Churchill Downs team. Track employees and officials have also donated food items that are being placed in those Thanksgiving boxes, with some track departments competing against each other for the honor of largest amount of food items donated to the charitable event.

Tickets for participants in the Thanksgiving Family Food Box Giveaway were distributed earlier at a luncheon at Bellarmine University.  Only those who previously registered to participate in the event will be provided with a turkey and food box..   There is no walk-up distribution.

“The Thanksgiving Family Food Box Giveaway is always a special occasion for our volunteers and the residents of this community that we 365 days a year,” said Sam Watene, who has served as executive director of The Lord’s Kitchen since January and participated in last year’s giveaway.  “Churchill Downs is both a good neighbor and important supporter of the work of The Lord’s Kitchen, and it is always wonderful to join with its employees in this wonderful event.  The need among the families we serve is greater than ever in this year’s Thanksgiving season, and we thank Churchill Downs and the entire community for supporting the work of The Lord’s Kitchen throughout the year.”

The Lord’s Kitchen, which is located just a few blocks from the historic racetrack at 2732 South 5th Street, has been serving needy families and residents in the neighborhood near Churchill Downs since 1988. Additional volunteers to serve meals at The Lord’s Kitchen on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day are needed. Those interested in volunteering or donating food for other holiday programs at The Lord’s Kitchen should call (502) 964-3304 ext. 1250.  More information on the work of The Lord’s Kitchen is available on its Web site at www.thelordskitchen.com.