More than $55,000 raised for University of Maryland-Baltimore, WJZ Thanksgiving Food Drive

BALTIMORE -- Hundreds of families in West Baltimore will have a full and healthy Thanksgiving because of generous donations.

WJZ, in partnership with the University of Maryland-Baltimore, raised nearly $55,000, which will feed more than 1,400 families in West Baltimore.

The original goal was to raise $45,000 for the Thanksgiving Day Food Drive, but more than $55,000 was raised.

With all the money raised, it's time to get to work and serve the community in West Baltimore. 

"It's really about being a good neighbor for us," said Brian Sturdivant, with the University of Maryland - Baltimore. "We want to make sure that our neighbors don't have the stress of figuring out how they're going to have their Thanksgiving meal on this time of year."

Thanks to many of our viewers and members of the community, all $55,000 sparked this team effort.

"Thanksgiving means just being a part of a family, eating together, enjoying quality time together, especially now because of COVID and we're starting to come back together as a family, so just making memories, that's what it's all about," Baltimore resident Lakia Wilson said.

Sturdivant told WJZ the Thanksgiving Food Drive is about making memories through service, gratitude, and showing up to help a neighbor. 

"We're just so glad to partner with you guys because it broadened our reach, we would have never collected quite this much and would have never been able to help quite as many families," Sturdivant said.

Volunteers rolled through at least five drop-off centers at schools in West Baltimore where families, students and teachers know the need far too well. 

"This is exciting for them to be able to receive Thanksgiving turkey," Baltimore resident Corina Anderson said. "I was having a conversation with them this morning talking about how thankful they are to have family and friends and their mom and having food on the table."

Having a healthy meal is the key to enjoying the things we have all come to love when it's time to feast. 

"I make a turkey, ham, also I do the homemade stuffing and I do the apple pie, the sweet potato pie, the greens, the yams," volunteer Delores Cheatham said.