Community steps up to feed needy families this Thanksgiving

PARKER - More than 400 families in Parker, Franktown and Elizabeth won't be going hungry this Thanksgiving. It is all because of the countless donations and hard work of volunteers in the Parker community.

Dozens of cars pulled in to the Parker Task Force on Sunday to drop of their donations. Volunteers in the community have stepped forward to provide needy families all the essentials for a Thanksgiving meal in baskets.

The baskets will include everything to make the day special: a turkey, stuffing, gravy, potatoes, vegetables, bread, cranberries, fruit and a dessert.

Diane Roth, of the Parker Task Force, says the support this year has been "absolutely unreal" and the meals are coming in "tremendous abundance."

"We will have more Thanksgiving baskets than we need for our Parker Task Force clients," Roth explained.

Now in its 21st year of giving back during the holidays, the task force will be sharing the extra donations with area organizations, including the Elizabeth Food Bank, Elbert Food Bank and the Denver Inner City Parish.

"...Our donations are up. This community really cares about people in the community," Roth said.

Radiene Watson was among those residents who brought a trunk full of donations for Sunday's collection event.

"I think that if we all pitch in, we can all help each other," Watson explained. "But, you know, it takes a village. If everybody works together, we can do more than one person by themself."

Despite the rocky economic times, Roth says people in the community still have the desire to share.

"I think it says a lot about the importance of the holiday to people," Roth said.

She attributes this importance to the traditions many have from childhood.

"You remember as a child, you woke up, and you smelled the turkey because mom had been up three hours before getting it in the oven," Roth explained. "I think it's a childhood memory and people want to continue that for their families."

The Parker Task Force is an all-volunteer, non-profit organization that works to prevent homelessness. The task force has a food bank and also offers financial assistance to families in need for rent or utilities.

9NEWS Intern and CU Boulder student Vignesh Ramachandran contributed to this story.