Turkeypalooza 2026!

Turkeypalooza 2026

A place at the table for every older neighbor.

There's something special about the way food brings people together. It's more than what's on the plate. It's the familiar faces, the conversations, the traditions, and the feeling of knowing you belong.

As we make our own plans for the holiday season, it's easy to forget that 1 in 5 of our older neighbors is at risk for hunger. But for many of our older neighbors, putting food on the table isn't always easy. Rising grocery costs, limited incomes, and challenges with shopping or preparing meals can make something as simple as a warm meal feel out of reach.

That's why this year, the Athens Community Council on Aging (ACCA), Campus Kitchen at UGA, and Epting Events are coming together once again for Turkeypalooza 2026, a 10-day community effort to bring Thanksgiving (and so much more) to older adults and their families across Athens-Clarke County. Because when we come together to care for our neighbors, there's always room for one more seat at the table.

Our goal is bold: $55,000 to provide

• 335 turkeys with grocery bags of fresh produce and holiday sides,
• 155 plated Thanksgiving meals for seniors who can’t cook for themselves, and
• 1,500 total meals to older adults and their families across our community.
• Critical year-round hunger relief for those facing rising costs and funding delays.

Every year, even before the first meals leave our doors, the line of cars outside ACCA stretches down the street—filled with seniors waiting for a Thanksgiving meal.But our goal is about more than a meal. It's a reminder that someone is thinking of them. That they're part of a community that cares. That even when life becomes more challenging, they haven't been forgotten.

And that's what makes Turkeypalooza so special.

Together, we're sharing more than food. We're sharing kindness, connection, and the simple joy of caring for one another. Every gift helps make a little more room at the table and brings us closer to a community where we can age well, stay connected, and thrive.

Help us meet the moment. Give today to support Turkeypalooza 2026.

Can we count on your donation this year to support our older neighbors this Thanksgiving?