As Second Harvest President Drew Meuer puts it, "hunger doesn't take a day off," so the organization works hard to provide resources to those needing food assistance throughout the year.
Second Harvest kicks things into overdrive for Thanksgiving though, partnering with Tom's Turkey Drive to ensure area families have a full holiday dinner. Last year, the event's 25th, about 8,500 meal kits, which contain a turkey, canned vegetables, stuffing, potatoes, gravy, rolls and milk, were distributed.
To put that in perspective, Meuer notes that the Spokane Arena holds between 10,000 and 12,000 people during concerts, depending on the layout of the stage. For yet another perspective, Tom's Turkey Drive, which was founded by former KREM weather forecaster Tom Sherry, began with a few hundred turkeys handed out in a parking lot.
Now, there are about 20 distribution sites around Spokane and Coeur d'Alene with hundreds of volunteers working to make sure each site operates like a well-oiled machine.
Meuer enjoys seeing familiar faces each year, as many volunteers have made helping with Tom's Turkey Drive an annual tradition. Other volunteers share that they once needed the event's assistance themselves but are now in a position to give back.
"They talk about the difference that it made for them, whether that was somebody who just lost their job, or a single mom who wants to put a meal together for her kids," Meuer says. "Seeing that full-circle celebration of generosity, you really see the ripple effects that Tom's had throughout the community."
Meuer, who's been at Second Harvest in some capacity since 2009, says preparations for each year's drive begin almost as soon as the last turkey dinner has been distributed from the previous event.
The turkey order for the 2025 drive, for example, was placed in winter 2024. Food industry partners like Rosauers and Franz Bakery help with the turkeys, canned vegetables, rolls and stuffing, with Rosauers also hosting volunteers who are fundraising for the event. Dairy Farmers of Washington provides fresh milk, while agricultural partners in the Columbia Basin provide the potatoes.
"We've got customer generosity, we've got generous donor partners, both on the food and the funds side, that come together to make this meal happen for so many people," Meuer says.
Meuer says the fact that Tom's Turkey Drive is entering its 26th year is a testament to the generosity of greater Spokane community members, who share the desire to make someone's holiday season a little brighter.
"The longer I'm in it, the more I get to have a front-row seat to that generosity," he says. "When I take a breath and step back and see the smiles on the faces of the volunteers and the gratitude of donors for being able to make this difference in the lives of people, it really is just heartwarming to be able to experience that with folks."
2nd PLACE: Beyond Pink Designer Fashion Show & Auction
3rd PLACE: Spokane Humane Society FurrBall
NORTH IDAHO'S BEST: The Showcase, Community Cancer Fund, Coeur d'Alene
