Above: The food pantry is asking for the community to pitch in for their Thanksgiving turkey drive. If you’re a BJ’s member, you could use their “free” offer as a way to support the drive. (images cropped from Facebook and BJ’s website)
The Southborough Food Pantry asked me to help them promote a special collection drive — for Thanksgiving turkeys, including ones that you could get for free.
The drive is separate from the annual town-wide Scouting for Food collection. But the timing works great for the community to get the most bang for its buck by supporting both efforts!
The drive repeats an initiative that was started on social media last year by some savvy shoppers seeking to support the food pantry.
Last year, community members who weren’t planning on getting “free” turkeys for their own families took advantage of a BJ’s Wholesale Club deal to earn turkeys that they donated to the Southborough Food Pantry. (Some may have also purchased turkeys to donate.) Organizers succeeded in donating about 20 turkeys to the pantry for Southborough families in need.
The pantry is now promoting:
This year, prices are higher and more neighbors than ever are relying on the pantry, so, we’d love your help again!
The organized effort is encouraging people to plan ahead to repeat (and hopefully grow) the drive, taking advantage of this year’s BJ’s offer.
The timing for the BJ’s deal means that customers could earn the “free turkeys” by combining shopping for Scouting for Food in addition to their own family’s shopping needs — including last-minute Halloween candy! (For more details on the Scouting for Food Drive and that needs list, click here.)
Alternatively, you could just purchase a turkey to donate!
Eligibility Criteria & Participation Details
Anyone who spends $150 or more in a single transaction this Saturday, October 31st, through Monday November 9th is eligible to receive a coupon for a free frozen turkey. (The $150 threshold is after discounts, but before taxes.)
There are some additional caveats and steps:
- The turkey deal is limited to 1 coupon per qualifying member, has a maximum value of $25, excludes organic turkeys, and is only available “while supplies last”. (You can find more details here.)
- To get the coupon — log into your BJ’s account (through the mobile app or their website) after Saturday, November 14th, and “clip” it
- The coupon must be redeemed at BJ’s by November 25th. But to participate in the Southborough drive, you’ll need to grab a turkey by the 19th. (And the sooner, the better, to ensure one is still in stock. The pantry is actually advertising a November 18th deadline.)
Obviously, you can’t leave the perishable turkeys in the pantry’s usual collection bin. The special collection times for the turkey drive are:
- Thursday, November 19th from 5:00 – 6:00 pm
- Friday, November 20th from 8:00 – 9:00 am.
If you don’t have freezer space to hold onto it until then or just can’t make those times, organizers can arrange an alternative drop off time at “Pine Hill Farm”. (Details are on the signup page.)
To participate in the drive, please sign up here.
