800 families to receive free Thanksgiving dinner to feed their families.

Richmond (November 22, 2022) – Members of the U.C. Berkeley Baseball, Volleyball, and Beach Volleyball teams will score points in their heart as they distribute holiday dinners to financially distressed families in the Iron Triangle of Richmond, CA as the Bay Area Rescue Mission hosts its annual turkey dinner giveaway. 800 impoverished families will receive a ‘Box of Hope’ that includes a turkey, dressing and all the fixings for a traditional holiday meal. The food giveaway is made possible through the generosity of compassionate donors.

“This holiday is a time for families to gather at the dinner table to give thanks for the blessings in our lives but our community has been hit especially hard by the current economic challenges. Families in our neighborhood struggle to feed their families on a daily basis while still keeping a roof over their heads. Purchasing a complete holiday dinner is a splurge that is completely beyond their reach, especially with the skyrocketing cost of groceries.” Said B.A.R.M. President and CEO Bram Begonia. “Our goal is for families to enjoy quality time together sharing a delicious meal and give them one less thing to worry about during this challenging holiday season”, Begonia added.

This event is a way for the Bay Area Rescue Mission to emphasize the importance of family and express our ‘Love without Limits’.

This year, B.A.R.M. has teamed up with UC Berkeley Athletics to offer hope and help to the disenfranchised during the holidays. “Student-Athletes want to use their platform to have a positive impact on our community and give back to those in need,” explained Jessie Stewart, Community Engagement Director for the Athletic Department. “The housing crisis and economic and racial inequality is a very visible and critical issue here in the Bay Area and many of our students are interested in getting involved to do what they can to learn about and contribute to this issue in meaningful ways.” Stewart said this is just the beginning of what she hopes will be a long-term relationship with the Bay Area Rescue Mission.

Struggling families can register online through Monday, November 16 at 3pm. Residents who want to register in person at the event must show two ‘proof of residency’ forms such as a driver’s license or state ID along with a utility or phone bill, or letter from their child’s school. This is to verify the recipients have a location in which to prepare their holiday meal.

Distribution is set for:

• Tuesday, November 22rd
• 8:30am to 11:30 am
• 123 Macdonald Avenue, Richmond, CA

The media is welcome to attend.