U-Haul continued its practice of gifting turkeys to full-time Team Members at the corporate towers in Phoenix and Tech Center in Tempe this Thanksgiving. In turn, hundreds of benevolent Team Members upheld their tradition of donating those turkeys to U-Haul charitable partner St. Mary’s Food Bank. The U-Haul turkey donation count to St. Mary’s was 855 this year.

The 15-pound birds will go to feed less fortunate families in Arizona. An additional 30 turkeys were donated by U-Haul Team Members to the U.S. Vets facility on Grand Avenue in Phoenix.

Turkey Donation TV Coverage

U-Haul volunteers delivered the first shipment of turkeys to St. Mary’s main warehouse in Phoenix on Nov. 19 as part of the organization’s “Super Saturday” campaign. Fox 10 News reported on the delivery of nearly 300 turkeys which Team Members unloaded from a U-Haul 26-foot truck. The live spot aired shortly after 7 a.m. local time.

St. Mary’s corporate giving officer Kerri Cole spoke to U-Haul volunteers before they left, thanking them for their help and for the remarkable generosity of U-Haul and its Team Members.

A final delivery of 563 turkey went to St. Mary’s on Nov. 22 after the annual distribution at the U-Haul towers. Team Members either dropped their turkey certificates in the St. Mary’s donation jar or traded them for a frozen bird right off a refrigerated truck.

Team Member Takes

“I’m donating my turkey to a friend of the family,” computer support specialist James Crist said upon collecting his turkey. “It’s pretty awesome what U-Haul does. I’m new to the U-Haul family – my first holiday – and I like it. This shows great support for everyone.”

“My daughter is hosting Thanksgiving this year,” added Catrina Medina, a legal administrative assistant. “We are baking this turkey with rosemary and lemon and sage and some other spices. Last year we had about 30 people – we lost a few this year, so it will be about 20. This is my first year with U-Haul over the holidays, and I think (the turkey distribution) is great. I’m very grateful.”

Chris Morgan, a senior Oracle programmer analyst, said his turkey will be one of three enjoyed at his big gathering of about 30 family members. “It will be my parents, my brother and his family, aunts, uncles and more,” he said. “My wife will cook this turkey in the oven. One will be deep fried. My mom prepares one, too.”

More on St. Mary’s

St. Mary’s is America’s first food bank. It gives food to anyone who needs it, asking that recipients show only a form of I.D. to ensure each family receives one turkey. According to the food bank, Arizona’s hunger rates are higher than national averages: 17.8 percent of Arizonans are food insecure (compared to 15.9 percent nationally) and 28.2 percent of Arizonan children face hunger (compared to 21.6 percent nationally).

Thanks, in part to the turkey donation of U-Haul Team Members, St. Mary’s was able to hand out 9,150 turkeys on Nov. 21 and 22.

In addition to St. Mary’s and U.S. Vets, U-Haul contributed $1,000 to charitable partner St. Vincent de Paul’s “Turkey Tuesday” fundraiser and also offered assistance to help Little Sisters of the Poor, based in Gallup, N.M., feed hungry families this Thanksgiving.

Thank you, U-Haul Team Members.

U-Haul Company’s turkey donation at St. Mary’s this year was its highest total to date. Read about our 2014 donation and 2015 donation as well as what our Team Members had to say.