Steve Bowen: turkeys giving away turkeys

last years promo

This year is our 20th year for turkeys giving away turkeys.

Last year we adjusted the outreach in order to involve more people, create a safer environment (morning instead of after dark), create less stress (we were creating exact maps from hours of phone calls usually from the same people who were playing the system) and to create a greater sense of team (over 300 people showed up for instructions and to do the outreach last year).

here's what we have discovered:

people want to make a difference....this year over 300 boxes went out the first weekend in November. Yes we are ordering more.
people like simple...people grab a box as they leave a weekend service. The box has the instructions placed inside the box to help guide people as they purchase the food items.
people enjoy the sense of togetherness...We encourage participation: families packing the box together, or joining with friends, or joining as a small group to fill the box. This year we will be adding a worship set and breaking up into small groups for prayer...then introducing team leaders, and receiving instructions and maps.
some people like to participate but don't want to go on the outreach...that's ok, participating at any level is appreciated. The 'no go but want to serve people' will bring their filled boxes at 9am instead of 10am and placed into trucks.
people like the fact that we go to the areas we have consistently served in the past...we will be dividing up into three huge teams, caravaning to the location in order to reach out to 3 low income apartments in Huber Heights, Fairborn, and Centerville.
people like the adventure... we go to homes unannounced offer the Thanksgiving meal and offer prayer. When we leave the home we place a small sticker on the door notifying the rest of the team that the stickered door is a home we have served.
people who serve begin to see life through an outward focused lense...One family went to a home and offered the Thanksgiving dinner. The single mom invited the family inside to place the dinner on her table. The family noticed...all she had in her apartment was the table. Their perspective changed. Their hearts were softened through the experience and began to view life through a different lense.