Food insecurity – particularly at the holidays – is magnified as family and loved ones look forward to a meal and spending time together.
On Monday, the Aurora Housing Authority held a food distribution effort aimed at helping hundreds of residents of public housing in the city have a fulfilling holiday by giving out more than 500 free Thanksgiving meal boxes, complete with both ready-to-bake turkeys and the usual side dishes.
“I volunteer here and I’m going to get a turkey and other things for our meal,” Saul Fultz of Aurora said as he helped distribute boxes of food during the effort Monday outside his residence at Maple Terrace Apartments. “Getting this food is going to have a great impact as far as feeding people this week is concerned and making the holiday more joyous and bringing our family together.”
The meal boxes were given out at the Aurora Housing Authority’s five public housing communities – Southwind Housing Complex, Maple Terrace Apartments, Indian Trail, Centennial House Apartments and 1449 Senior Estates.
A press release about the food distribution Monday said the effort is important now more than ever because the federal government shutdown which ended recently “disrupted SNAP benefits statewide.”
“Many AHA residents, including young children, working parents, individuals with disabilities and seniors, did not receive their scheduled benefits,” the release said. “Some still have not received their full November allotment, leaving many unable to purchase food for their Thanksgiving meal.”
Dalmarie Arroyo, who serves as the property manager for Maple Terrace, spoke before the food distribution began and said “with the SNAP issues, this is one of the more heightened seasons I’ve seen here as far as the need for food goes.”
Volunteers work outside Maple Terrace Apartments in Aurora on Monday unloading a truck filled with free Thanksgiving meal boxes that were being distributed at the Aurora Housing Authority’s five public housing communities. (David Sharos/For The Beacon-News)
Arroyo said the distribution of the Thanksgiving meal boxes is definitely needed.
“Residents here know about this and that they are going to get help,” Arroyo said. “I already have a list of tenants that can’t make it here and they’ve asked me to hold their food for them.”
Derrick Anderson said he has lived at Maple Terrace for eight years and that “I have been receiving the food boxes for Thanksgiving since I’ve been here.”
“I’ll have anywhere from seven to 10 people here Thursday,” he said while waiting in line Monday. “Getting this is a blessing. I count on it each year and am very thankful.”
Derrick Jones said he has lived almost nine years at the property and plans on seeing seven people for dinner on Thanksgiving.
“I always get enough to feed my family from this giveaway,” he said. “I look forward to this day and getting some help.”
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.
