Volusia Basket Brigade hopes to give away 4,000 Thanksgiving boxes to families in need

Brenno Carillo, Daytona Beach News-Journal
Volunteers transfer baskets of Thanksgiving food and supplies from a Daytona State College parking lot into their vehicles as part of the Volusia Thanksgiving Basket Brigade.
Volunteers transfer baskets of Thanksgiving food and supplies from a Daytona State College parking lot into their vehicles as part of the Volusia Thanksgiving Basket Brigade.

For more than 20 years, the Volusia Basket Brigade has been helping families in need have a better Thanksgiving holiday.

This year, the nonprofit’s staff and volunteers will again deliver food boxes throughout the county to families in need.

Their goal, according to the Brigade’s website, is to deliver 4,000 boxes on Nov. 18.

“We recognize that food insecurities in our community is a huge need,” said Amy Hall, founder of Volusia Basket Brigade, in a video posted on their website. “And we need your help to step up and to be able to feed families in our community and help put turkeys on the table.”

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Here is what we know about the initiative and how you might be able to help.

What is the Volusia Basket Brigade?

According to the nonprofit’s website, the “Volusia Thanksgiving Basket Brigade is a fun family event where volunteers come together in the spirit of contribution and become Turkey Heroes by creating and delivering Thanksgiving boxes to families in need in our community.”

But how does the event work?

Starting Saturday, Oct. 28, boxes will be available for pickup at several Publix locations across the county, as well as Gary Yeomans Ford, LaBosco’s Jewelry Castle, RE/MAX Signature and Axiom Bank in the Port Orange Walmart.

The nonprofit suggests that each box be filled with the following:

  • Three cans of green beans.

  • Two cans of corn.

  • Two boxes of brownie mix.

  • Two yams.

  • Two boxes of stuffing.

  • Gravy package mix.

  • Mini marshmallows.

  • Corn bread mix.

  • Two boxes of scalloped potatoes.

  • Two boxes of mashed potato mix.

  • Cranberry sauce.

  • Two cans of cream of mushroom soup.

  • Fried onion strings.

  • $10-15 gift card for a turkey.

“We also encourage you to add additional items to the box that will help sustain a family of five throughout a week,” the Brigade’s website says.

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Where do you drop off the Thanksgiving box?

Once the Thanksgiving box is complete, it can be dropped off beginning Nov. 10 at several locations, including several Space Coast Credit Union stores across the county.

Other locations include:

  • Coastal Lending – 3624 S. Atlantic Ave.

  • LaBosco’s Jewelry Castle – 4360 S. Ridgewood Ave.

  • Alberto’s Pizza – 4036 S. Nova Road.

  • RE/MAX Signature – 5889 S. Williamson Blvd, Suite 1418.

  • Gary Yeomans Ford – N. Tomoka Farms Road.

  • Edgewater YMCA – 148 W. Turgot Ave.

  • Massey Services – 1869 State Road 44

  • New Journey Chiropractic – 292 N. Nova Road.

  • Fairwinds Credit Union – 208 S. Nova Road.

  • Volusia County School Board – 200 N. Clara Ave.

Boxes must be dropped off by Nov. 16.

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Those who want to help a specific family in need can nominate them on the Brigade’s website.

How to volunteer for the Volusia Basket Brigade

The donated boxes will be delivered to families in need on Nov. 18 beginning at 9 a.m.

Volunteers who want to deliver the boxes can sign up at the nonprofit’s website by filling out a form.

Drivers will be provided “a ‘pick up window’ of time to pick up the addresses and boxes to be distributed,” according to the form.

For information, visit volusiabasketbrigade.com.

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Volusia Basket Brigade to donate Thanksgiving boxes to families in need

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