The Salvation Army near Downtown Fort Worth handed out 200 Thanksgiving turkeys to families in need Wednesday morning.
Families didn't just get a turkey, they were also handed a bag with cranberry sauce, bread, green beans, stuffing, and other fixings. Each "Thanksgiving Box" can feed a family of four.
People started lining up outside the building on Lancaster Avenue hours before the doors opened at 9 a.m.
Salvation Army workers said that demonstrates how many hungry families live in the community.
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"The whole Thanksgiving, the whole holiday season, is about giving. So when you see a large line like that it's good to know you're able to help," said Kelton Russell, with the Salvation Army.
Sophia Asbury was one of the first people in line. She is unemployed and said she lost several family members to illness this year alone. She struggles with bill payments and got choked up when a Salvation Army worker handed her a turkey.
"It means a whole lot. I'm going to be able to eat a decent meal, without having to also worry about gas or the lights," Asbury said, with tears in her eyes. "Just to know somebody cares."
Asbury said she'd be spending the holiday alone, but is "beyond thankful" to have a whole meal.
"It's just a challenge, and an organization like this cares so much that you at least have something to eat," she said. "It makes you emotional."
Even when the turkeys run out, the Salvation Army will still hand out fixings and other groceries to people still in line.
The Salvation Army has already started working on Christmas adoptions for this holiday season. There were a total of 53,111 angels added to their Angel Tree this year alone. More than 34,000 angels have already been adopted, but there are still more than 18,600 Angels left to be adopted over the next three weeks. For adoption information, click here.
