Food Banks See Growing Need This Thanksgiving

Sonora, CA -- Area food banks are making a late push to make sure that community members have a Thanksgiving meal this year.

Anthony Martinez of the ATCAA Food Bank says his agency is still in need of 1,200 cans of any variety of pie filling and a like amount of canned cranberry sauce.

"You can purchase the items at a local grocery store and drop them into the donation barrel," says Martinez. "This weekend there will be a lot of volunteers out at local markets doing food drives, so please go and see them."

Martinez estimates that there will be around 2,000 Tuolumne County families in need this Thanksgiving, while last year they served between 1,300-1,400.

In Calaveras County the Resource Connection Food Bank is also collecting food this holiday season. Donations can be dropped into the Santa Express boxes that are located throughout the county.

Written by bjhansen@mlode.com.