The Franciscan Center announces today that the mission is still looking for approximately 600 turkeys to meet the expected need for its annual “Turkey Tuesday.”
News release from the Franciscan Center:
The Franciscan Center Announces its 26th Annual Turkey Tuesday on November 25; Needs 600 Turkeys
Funds for 600 Turkeys Still Needed to Help Make the Holiday Bright for Families on the Southeast SideFort Wayne, Indiana (November 20, 2025) — The Franciscan Center announces today that the mission is still looking for approximately 600 turkeys to meet the expected need for its annual “Turkey Tuesday”, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving on November 25. Turkeys, or more importantly funding to purchase turkeys at $21/turkey, is needed to meet the anticipated demand after the recent Government Shutdown.
“Per the recent Indiana Farm Bureau data, it costs on average $53.60 for a Thanksgiving Meal for 10 people, or $5.36 a person in Indiana,” notes Tony Ley, Executive Director of the Franciscan Center. “That includes prices for a 16-pound turkey that costs on average $21 in Indiana. We typically receive donations to make the rest of the meal, but focusing on providing turkeys is what we have done for 25 years on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. People will get in line before 6:00 a.m. on a cold, November morning waiting for the turkey distribution to start at 9:00 a.m.”
This year, to help keep those in line comfortable, Melissa Montana and other staff from radio station STAR88.3, along with members of the girls basketball team from Lakewood Park Christian School in Auburn, will be on hand with coffee donated by Bon Bons Coffee Shop and will make hot chocolate for those waiting in line.
Tony continues: “For me and my extended family, memories of Thanksgiving often focus on family and friends gathered around the dinner table, enjoying the wonderful feast prepared for them. With your support, you can help make this dream a reality for our clients. The Franciscan Center highlights one client’s joy of receiving a turkey in one of our videos available at www.thefranciscancenter.org/video.
How to donate turkeys or $21 for each family:
- Online: visit www.thefranciscancenter.org/support-us
- Mail: 1015 E Maple Grove Ave, Fort Wayne, 46806; write “Turkey” on the memo line.
- Drop-Off: one of five locations:
- The Franciscan Center’s main offices at 1015 E Maple Grove Avenue from 9a – 6p M-F and 8a – 11a on Saturday.
- The Franciscan Center Family Thrift North Store at 925 E Coliseum between Parnell and Clinton Streets from 10a – 6p Monday through Saturday.
- The Franciscan Center Family Thrift Southwest Store at 6145 W. Jefferson Blvd. in the Jefferson Crossing Shopping Center from 10a – 6p Monday through Saturday.
- The Franciscan Center Family Thrift Store on Coldwater Road near Coliseum at 4430 Coldwater Road (formerly Touma’s Bridal) from 10a – 6p Monday through Saturday.
- The new Franciscan Center Family Thrift store across from Northside high school on State Street near downtown from 10a – 6p Monday through Saturday.
For more information please contact Tony Ley at 260-710-3985.
Celebrating its 36th year in 2025, the Franciscan Center was founded in 1989 and is a local non-profit serving the impoverished in our community through their food bank, medicine cabinet and sack lunch programs. They serve annually over 70,000 families through their three relief programs “meeting people where they are at”. The Center operates four Franciscan Center Family Thrift Stores in town. Please contact The Franciscan Center at 260-744-3977 or 260-710-3985 for more information or visit their website at www.thefranciscancenter.org.
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