Noting supply-chain worries, Cape church to distribute free turkeys Tuesday

Cape Girardeau's Bethel Assembly of God has been spearheading U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) weekly food distribution for nearly 13 months but for one day next week, the congregation will also hand out some Thanksgiving turkeys at the church's cost.

"This (turkey) giveaway is designed for the families we work with every week but there may be an eligible family who shows up for the first time," said Bethel pastor Phillip F. Roop, noting turkeys will be given out Tuesday on a one-time basis to the first 120 families in line outside the 4-H Barn in Arena Park awaiting their weekly government allotment of seven prepackaged suppers, seven prepackaged snacks and a gallon of milk.

An "eligible" family, Roop said, has children at home between the ages of 3 and 18.

"I was thinking (Bethel) may want to do something extra this year because I've heard there may be a shortage, so we're going to bless our (USDA) families also with a Thanksgiving turkey," adding the usual distribution happens between 3:30 and 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays.

Roop, who utilizes the help of Adult Teen Challenge and church volunteers to pack the USDA distributions Fridays and hand it out Tuesdays, said the food clearly fills a need.

"There are some people who are so grateful and we have people say all the time, 'I don't know what I'd do without this,'" Roop said.

Roop said the weekly USDA packages are designed to be health-conscious in meeting daily food group needs.

"There is a protein, a grain, a fruit, a vegetable and a dairy for the supper. For the snack, maybe a package will have a cheese stick or a yogurt and perhaps a whole grain muffin," he said. "The distribution) fills the gap and takes the edge off for some families."

Roop noted there will be no food distribution Nov. 30 at Arena Park .

The church is located at 1855 Perryville Road in Cape Girardeau.