‘A wonderful day:’ 2,000 Thanksgiving meals distributed at Exploria Stadium

Organizers provided Thanksgiving meals set to feed 10,000 residents

ORLANOD, Fla. – Eugine Blackshear was one of the many who got up early on Monday morning to make the long line at Exploria Stadium all to get a Thanksgiving meal for his family.

“Unfortunately, the prices went up so high that everybody is not able this year to buy,” Blackshear said.

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Residents received Publix meal boxes that included a turkey and side dishes. They also received snack bags and soda along with Orlando City gear.

“I am disabled and I’m kinda old, so I came in line to get the food,” Blackshear said.

Orlando City SC, the Orlando Pride and the Orlando City Foundation teamed up with District 5 Commissioner Regina Hill and the Salvation Army for the Annual Turkey Giveaway presented by Publix.

“We think about inflation, our affordable housing being unaffordable, and those who have been impacted in the area by Ian, you know? So, I think this is really filling the need,” Orlando Commissioner Regina Hill said.

Organizers provided 2,000 Thanksgiving meals set to feed 10,000 residents, a record amount over the event’s seven-year history.

“This is a wonderful day, I love Thanksgiving and when the community comes together, and has a collaborative effort, between Commissioner Hill, City of Orlando, Orlando City and Orlando Pride, and Salvation Army, we are a better community,” Captain Ken Chapman with The Salvation Army said.

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About the Author:

Ezzy Castro is a multimedia journalist on News 6's morning team who has a passion for telling the stories of the people in the Central Florida community. Ezzy worked at WFOR CBS4 in South Florida and KBMT in Beaumont, Texas, where she covered Hurricane Harvey in 2017. Being from Miami, Ezzy loves Cuban coffee and croquetas!

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