Updated: November 23, 2021 Published: November 23, 2021
Personal shopper Barb Wasile packs a box with groceries and a frozen turkey to make a home cooked Thanksgiving dinner for Akeem Taylor and his three-year-old daughter Helen during the annual Thanksgiving Blessing food distribution by the Food Bank of Alaska at the Mt. View Community Center on Monday, Nov. 22, 2021.
Thousands of people in need will have the opportunity to prepare a holiday meal thanks to the Food Bank of Alaska, the faith community, and volunteers who help distribute frozen turkeys and other meal preparations at five locations in Anchorage and one in Eagle River during the annual Thanksgiving Blessing food distribution on Monday.
“I think it’s important that we give back to our community and we help everyone around us as often as we can,” said personal shopper Barb Wasile. “It’s really nice to see them in person and chat with them a few seconds while they decide what they want for their Thanksgiving dinners.”
Akeem Taylor, who attended the food distribution in the Mountain View Boys & Girls Club with his three-year-old daughter Helen, was picking up food to feed his family of eight. After picking food to make a Thanksgiving dinner he said “It’s definitely a blessing, it’s my favorite time of year, I love to eat and spend a lot of time with the family.”
Raphael Taylor and Nicholas Thompson unpack canned goods during the annual Thanksgiving Blessing food distribution at the Mt. View Community Center on Monday. (Bill Roth / ADN)
Helen Taylor, 3, picks a bags of apples with the help of personal shopper Barb Wasile during the annual Thanksgiving Blessing food distribution at the Mt. View Community Center on Monday. (Bill Roth / ADN)
Alana Cortez unpacks boxes of frozen turkeys during the annual Thanksgiving Blessing food distribution at the Mt. View Community Center on Monday. (Bill Roth / ADN)
People wait in line during the annual Thanksgiving Blessing food distribution at the Mt. View Community Center on Monday. (Bill Roth / ADN)
Lakota Holman and Hannah Jerome set out roasting pans containing frozen turkeys, rolls and butter, during the Thanksgiving Blessing food distribution at the Mt. View Community Center on Monday. (Bill Roth / ADN)
Akeem Taylor looks back towards his three-year-old daughter Helen after picking up a frozen turkey and all the fixings to make a Thanksgiving dinner during the Thanksgiving Blessing food distribution at the Mt. View Community Center on Monday, Nov. 22, 2021. "It's definitely a blessing, it's my favorite time of year," said Taylor. "I love to eat and spend a lot of time with the family." (Bill Roth / ADN)