On the next great adventure of Explore Arlington, Mayor Jim Ross joins Miss Tillie Burgin and the crew at Mission Arlington® to prepare meals to give to families on Thanksgiving. 

Mission Arlington®, located at 210 W. South St. in Arlington, started in 1986. Preparing Thanksgiving meals for families in need is a Mission Arlington® tradition. They deliver turkeys and Thanksgiving food to more than 6,000 families, or about 27,000 people, on Thanksgiving morning.  What started small has now grown into a massive undertaking of love. 

“If you want to come help pack boxes, if you want to come help prepare the turkey get out here and walk in the door,” Ross said. “They’re open every single day. You don’t have to call or do anything but show up and say, ‘I want to help.’ They will take all the help they can receive.” 

Here are some ways you can help – before and on Thanksgiving Day:

Before Thanksgiving

• bringing turkeys and/or Thanksgiving food to the Mission Arlington® offices before Thanksgiving Day. For a list of food items needed, click here;
• volunteering – anytime between 7 a.m. & 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday – to pack and prepare turkey baskets prior to Thanksgiving Day. It takes a lot of hands to get everything ready. You don’t need an appointment. Just come on down.

On Thanksgiving Day

• Be at the Mission Offices by 8 a.m. There will be plenty of places to park around the Mission.
• It takes about 6,000 volunteers to deliver all the food, so don’t fret if you see a lot of other people there. They still need your help;
• They will get you, your family, and/or your team registered, and then give you your assignment.
• You will pick up your turkey, Thanksgiving boxes, and make your deliveries, and you will be such a blessing to the people receiving the food.
• They typically finish by noon, and then you can go home to have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your own family and friends.

“On Thanksgiving morning at 8 a.m., join me and Miss Tillie out here to kick off the annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Drive,” Ross said. “We will be giving thousands of turkeys to families in need. You will never be blessed like you’re blessed doing that on Thanksgiving. Bring your family and bring your kids. This is what Arlington is about: taking care of each other.”  

Explore Arlington take viewers on a journey across multiple small businesses, tourism destinations, outdoor activities and many other venues and topics highlighting all of the fun things happening in The American Dream City.

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