More than 2,000 turkeys, food boxes given out during 2020 Thanksgiving All-Star Give Back in River Rouge

More families face food insecurity due to COVID-19

RIVER ROUGE, Mich. – An annual event called the All-Star Give Back aims at making Thanksgiving just a little bit easier for families in need.

Cars filled the River Rouge High School parking lot for the 22nd annual Turkey Giveaway Tuesday.

“You’re seeing now people in line who were never in a mobile distribution line before. And so we got to help them,” Terrance Wheeler said.

READ: Annual Thanksgiving All-Star Giveback event held in River Rouge

Wheeler helped organize the event. Wheeler said the group is giving out more than 2,000 turkeys and food boxes to those in need. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the need is greater this year than the years before.

“It’s very important because resources are very limited. Folks are laid off,” Wheeler said.

Wheeler said with the help of rapper Big Sean and former NBA player Derrick Coleman, they were able to provide the necessary Thanksgiving dinners for thousands of people.

“What you see is partners. You see people coming together saying, ‘You know what, we care about other people,’” Wheeler said. “That’s what people need. They need care, they need hope, they need love.”

Coleman said he has lost family and friends to COVID-19.

“It’s crazy. With everything that’s going on, I’ve lost probably over 30 members of family and friends from COVID. It’s been real tough for me, these last nine months, but again we still want to get out, and with the holiday spirits. We want to give people a chance to have a great holiday,” Coleman said.

READ: More people in Metro Detroit are facing food insecurity amid COVID-19 pandemic