With Thanksgiving just a week and a half away, the Marion County Food Pantry at Helping Hands in Knoxville is putting out the call for the most important item on the menu.

The organization needs 74 turkeys for distribution by the end of the week, and the donor they had intended to use will not be able to fulfill this need in time. So the pantry is asking anyone wishing to help to please donate a turkey.

Chuck Galeazzi from Helping Hands tells KNIA/KRLS News some donations are in the pipeline, so some of the need will be met; but he still needs help to fill the quota, and believes the Knoxville community will step up as it always has.

“Maybe two or three people get together, pitch in and buy a turkey, bring it to Helping Hands; you can bring it in the alley here (behind the building) Monday, Wednesday and Friday. We’re gonna need them Friday to pass out, that’s the day we’re going to pass out our Thanksgiving baskets,” Galeazzi says. “It’s just such a blessing to see the smiles on these people’s face(s) when they know somebody else cares for them.”

Helping Hands is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Donations may be made at that time; and those who have not signed up for a Thanksgiving basket may still contact them for help.

You can find out more on today’s edition of Let’s Talk Knoxville.