This year, Thanksgiving dinner is going to be much easier for hundreds of Lorain County families.
On Nov. 21, Horizon Education Centers throughout the county will distribute 300 Thanksgiving dinner boxes to families in need, according to Horizon Lorain County Division Executive Teria Bivins.
The center’s construction team, North Coast Design Build, is sponsoring the boxes for families, and will have a team on deck Nov. 21 for distributing the meals.
“Horizon Education Center is a child care facility that services six weeks all the way up to 13 years of age,” Bivins said. “Our construction company, our builders, they actually are the sponsors for the boxes.”
While the boxed meals are relatively basic Thanksgiving fare, Bivins said area families have been extremely grateful for the opportunity.
The hope is that the center can help alleviate some of the pressure of the holidays, she said.
“I’m not sure what is all included, but definitely, I know there’s a turkey in there, there’s dessert, there’s stuffing,” Bivins said. “Basically, (it’s) just a basic Thanksgiving meal.”
The center often works with low-income families, she said.
Especially in the Lorain County area, some families need a boost around the holiday season, Bivins said.
“Our centers where our families are, Lorain and Elyria, those are the areas we service,” she said. “Our motto, our mission is to serve low-income families and provide them with high-end services.
“Our CEO (David Smith) put our centers in areas (in need).”
The center’s Thanksgiving dinners can be a big help in taking away the stress during the holiday months, Bivins said.
For families that might not have the money for a full Thanksgiving dinner, the center was more than happy to provide, she said.
“The good part about this is that we’re able to provide families basic Thanksgiving meals that will feed at least a family of four,” Bivins said. “We’re able to feed them if they don’t have (the funds).
“Sometimes, the struggle becomes issues with the Thanksgiving meal, and it’s not available.”
And 2023 will be the center’s second year supplying Thanksgiving to families around the area, Bivins said.
Last year’s experiences helped the center work out the kinks in its distribution, which should go much more smoothly this year, she said.
“This is actually our second year,” Bivins said. “Last year, (North Coast Design) actually did the same thing.
“This time, we’re actually going to have some parents that are going to pick up our boxes, but the ones that are not able to, we’re going to be taking our buses to grab some boxes and take them back to the center.”
The Horizon Education Center’s Thanksgiving meal distribution will take place Nov. 21, at each of the center’s Lorain County facilities.
For locations, visit https://www.horizoneducationcenters.org/.
