IMMOKALEE, Fla. — A long line started early Wednesday morning outside Limitless Church in Immokalee. Families wanted to secure their spot in line, so they could receive a free Thanksgiving meal.
"I didn't expect to see this many people walking up there. People were here since 4 this morning waiting on line. They walked here," Susie Mulry with Capital Wealth Advisors said.
Muldry helped organize the 20th Annual Turkey Drop Capital Wealth Advisors and St. Matthew's does across Southwest Florida.
"Very moving to to realize the desperation and the need for the holiday meal for their family," Mulry said.
Each family picked up a frozen turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, pies, eggs, green beans mash potatoes and cranberries that can feed from four to six people.
Watch Immokalee Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades report below:
Long time Immokalee resident Yesenia Solorzano waited in line for the meal distribution.
Solorzano said, "Agradecido. A muchos de nosotros desde nuestras familias este tenemos a agarrar un poquito de ayuda para los que nosotros." ("Thankful. A lot of our us, our families we have to get a little help for us.")
She added it makes a difference when a lot of people have family miles away.
"Tenemos familia en otros países y no podemos estar todos juntos, entonces la poca familias que sí tenemos y los amigos que sí podemos convivir con es muy agradecido de poder tener esta ayuda para hacerlo todos juntos," Solorzano said. ("We have family in other countries and we can't all be together, so the little family we have and the friends we live with we are just very grateful to have this help so we can do it here together.")
In Spanish, El Día de Acción de Gracias translates directly as the day for action of thanks which means Thanksgiving.
And, action of thanks was demonstrated all morning from volunteers at the distribution and those who picked up their holiday meal filled with gratitude.
Mom of two Cynthia Martinez said the distribution makes their holiday meal possible.
"It's gonna help me put food on the table that's very generous what they're doing, and I really appreciate," Martinez said.
For Martinez and Solorzano and Mulry the gratitude for kindness and providing it makes the holiday what it's all about.
The next two Turkey Drop distributions are in Naples and Labelle.
