AC gives out free Thanksgiving meals

turkey bags

By BLASS GUERRERO, Staff Reporter ¦ 

On Thursday, Nov. 15, the Amarillo College Advocacy and Resource Center will be giving out Thanksgiving bags, filled with items to prepare a full Thanksgiving meal for each student.

The tradition was started by Lynae Jacob in 2014 with only 75 bags and throughout the years it has increased to 500 bags helping to serve more students. All items in each bag have been donated by AC employees and Amarillo community members.

Jordan Herrera, director of social services, said it’s important for AC to do this. “At Amarillo College, we know that many of our students are food insecure and we wanted to do something special for them to help ease the costs of the holidays,” she said. “By providing a Thanksgiving bag to a student, we are able to relieve a little bit of their financial burdens.”

The bags include French fried onions, sweet potatoes, biscuit mix, stuffing, cake icing, a $10 gift card to United or Walmart to go toward a purchase of a turkey and other items.

Students who received the bags in the past said this service has helped them through difficult times.  I work and go to school full-time and it’s really difficult, especially during the holidays, to be able to go shopping or even able afford food while in college,” said Stephanie Medrano, a nursing major.

Students will be able to pick up a bag Nov. 15 from noon to 2 p.m. or until the bags run out. Bags will be available at the Washington Street Campus in the Oak Room, East Campus at the Student Service Center, West Campus at the Lecture Hall, Moore County Campus in Dumas in Conference Room B and the Hereford Campus in Room 139.

The Advocacy and Resource Center operates the food pantry, giving students food and hygiene products twice a month; the clothing closet, giving students in need of clothing and shoes and the Social Services Program, helping students with emergency needs and connecting them with resources on campus.

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