The team at Mozel Sanders Foundation knows demand for food will likely be higher than normal this Thanksgiving because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but with a shortage of kitchens and volunteers, itās likely the organization wonāt be able to help everyone.
Mozel Sanders Foundation has fed up to 40,000 people at Thanksgiving in years past. That number has shrunk recently as other organizations peel off to do their own food giveaways, but the foundation still handed out a little more than 20,000 meals last year.
The goal this year is to distribute 10,000 meals. There are currently only six kitchens available, according to spokesperson Dawn Jones, which the organization could use to distribute about 5,300 meals.
Organizations interested in letting Mozel Sanders Foundation use their kitchen can fill out the contact form at mozelsanders.org or email info@mozelsanders.org.
Call the dinner line at 317-636-7985 to place an order for Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26. The line is open 9 a.m.-9 p.m. through Nov. 15.
The need for volunteers is different this year because the foundation is only distributing food on Thanksgiving Day, rather than the normal two days. Jones said the biggest need right now is drivers. Interested volunteers can learn more by clicking on the āVolunteerā tab on the website.
Mozel Sanders Foundation staff started meeting in May to figure out how to continue its four-decades-long tradition of feeding families amid a pandemic.
āWe knew we couldnāt say, āNope, weāre not doing it,āā Jones said. āThat wasnāt an option for us.ā
Learn more about donating to the foundation by clicking on the āDonateā tab on the website. One option is sending money to the organizationās Cash App: $MozelSanders.
The organization partnered with the Chipotle at 5320 E. 82nd St., so the restaurant will donate 33% of proceeds from an order from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Nov. 23 when customers mention Mozel Sanders Foundation or show a flyer for the deal, which is on the groupās Facebook page.
Contact staff writer Tyler Fenwick at 317-762-7853. Follow him on Twitter @Ty_Fenwick.