About Operation Turkey

Operation Turkey’s goal is 65,000 meals.

Operation Turkey set a goal of 55,000 meals and successfully delivered over 50,000 meals in North Carolina, Pennsylvania (Tri-State Area), and Texas.

Operation Turkey set a goal of 35,000 meals and successfully provided more than 33,000 meals in Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Florida in a reduced capacity due to COVID-19.

Operation Turkey set a goal of 75,000 meals and successfully provided more than 33,000 meals in Texas, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Florida in a reduced capacity due to COVID-19.

Operation Turkey set a goal of 75,000 meals and successfully delivered 62,500. Special thanks to our sponsors: P.F. Chang’s, Swift’s Attic, and The Salvation Army for their in-kind donations; and all the community initiated fundraisers that helped us provide 62,500 meals for delivery to those in need. Operation Turkey opened locations in 4 new cities and delivered meals to many more. Operations continued in Albuquerque, NM; Austin, TX; Cedar Park, TX; Colorado Springs, CO; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Fayetteville, NC; Houston, TX; Lubbock, TX; Lumberton, NC; Round Rock, TX; San Antonio, TX; San Marcos, TX; and 29 unofficial locations throughout the country.

Operation Turkey set a goal of 75,000 meals and successfully delivered 60,000. Special thanks to our sponsors: P.F. Chang’s, Swift’s Attic, and The Salvation Army for their in-kind donations; and all the community initiated fundraisers that helped us provide 60,000 meals for delivery to those in need. Operation Turkey opened locations in 8 new cities last year; which includes operations in 3 new states. Several new/potential cities partnered with existing locations to learn how we operate, with the goal of opening new locations in 2019. Operations continued in Albuquerque, NM; Austin, TX; Cedar Park, TX; Colorado Springs, CO; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Fayetteville, NC; Houston, TX; Lubbock, TX; Lumberton, NC; Round Rock, TX; San Antonio, TX; San Marcos, TX; and 29 unofficial locations throughout the country.

Operation Turkey’s goal was 50,000 meals and successfully delivered. Special thanks to Chipotle and their “Cause an Effect” fundraising campaign, Swift’s Attic and their in-kind donations for fundraising dinners, and all the community initiated fundraisers that helped us accomplish our fundraising goals. Operation Turkey opened new locations in Cedar Park, TX and Denver, CO. Several new/potential cities partnered with existing locations to learn how we operate, with the goal of opening new locations in 2018. Operations continued in Albuquerque, NM; Austin,TX; Colorado Springs, CO; Columbus, GA; Dallas, TX; Fayetteville, NC; Houston, TX; Lubbock, TX; Lumberton, NC; Round Rock, TX; San Antonio, TX; San Marcos, TX; Virginia Beach, VA; and 29 unofficial locations throughout the country.

Operation Turkey set a goal of 40,000 meals and successfully delivered. To accomplish this goal, we held several fundraisers: 3rd Annual Turkey Hugs, 3rd Annual Alaskan Seafood Dinner at Swift’s Attic, 1st Annual Wild Game Dinner at Chicon, and even more fundraisers our friends and family in the community initiated. Toyota donated vehicles to the leaders of Operation Turkey Dallas to help deliver meals in their community. Operation Turkey opened new locations in Albuquerque, NM; Lumberton, NC; and Round Rock, TX. We continued operations in Austin,TX; Colorado Springs, CO; Columbus, GA; Dallas, TX; Fayetteville, NC; Houston, TX; Lubbock, TX; San Antonio, TX; San Marcos, TX; Virginia Beach, VA; and 32 unofficial locations throughout the country.

Operation Turkey set a goal of 30,000 meals and successfully delivered. To accomplish this goal we held several fundraisers: 5th Annual US. Foods Charity Golf Tournament, 2nd Annual Turkey Hugs, 2nd Annual Alaskan Seafood Dinner at Swift’s Attic, and even more fundraisers our friends and family in the community initiated. Toyota donated vehicles to the leaders of Operation Turkey Dallas and Houston to help deliver meals in their community. Operation Turkey opened new locations in Columbus, GA; Fayetteville, NC; Lubbock, TX; San Antonio, TX; and Virginia Beach, VA. We continued operations in Austin, TX; Colorado Springs, CO; Dallas, TX; Houston, TX; San Marcos, TX; and 30 unofficial locations throughout the country.

Operation Turkey set a goal of 17,000 meals. To accomplish this goal we held our 4th Annual US Foods Golf Tournament in Austin, TX; 1st Annual Turkey Hugs; 1st Annual Alaskan Seafood fundraising dinner at Swift’s Attic; and a host of other fundraisers initiated by friends and family in the community. We successfully opened our first out of state location in Colorado Springs, CO. We continued operations in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and San Marcos, TX, and 30 unofficial locations throughout the country.

Operation Turkey’s goal rose to 12,000 meals. The 3rd Annual Golf Tournament in Austin, TX was an even bigger success this year. US. Foods donated more than 300 turkeys this year and provided outstanding service getting us up and running in new and existing cities. Houston, Texas became the newest official Operation Turkey location. We had another successful year in Austin, Dallas, and San Marcos, TX. 30 unofficial cities continued their mission to feed people within their communities.

Operation Turkey set a goal of 7,000 meals. We held our 2nd Annual Golf Tournament in Austin, TX and San Marcos held its first. US. Foods became the official sponsor of both events. P.F. Chang’s became an official sponsor of Operation Turkey allowing us to operate in any city we have operations. The Atlantic Housing Foundation joined Operation Turkey in Dallas, Texas and successfully delivered 1,000 meals their first year. Austin, TX served 5,000 meals to those in need and San Marcos, TX doubled their number of meals to 1,000. 30 unofficial cities continued their mission to feed people within their communities.

Operation Turkey continued under new leadership of Brian Tolbert and a Board of Advisors was created. San Marcos, Texas became the first official Operation Turkey location successfully launched under new leadership. We held our First Charity Golf Tournament which helped raise funds for meals. More than 2,300 volunteers came out Thanksgiving Day to distribute over 4,200 meals and toiletries in Austin and 500 in San Marcos. We had volunteers in more than 30 unofficial cities feeding people within their community.

This year's goal was again 4,000 and a new Executive Director, Brian Tolbert, was announced. The 4th Annual Austin Yam Jam was held at Threadgill’s with an auction of autographed guitars by artists including Willie Nelson to help raise funds. More than 2,000 volunteers come out on Thanksgiving Day to provide 4,000 meals in Austin, TX. We added www.feed4000.com to our domain name list because we are dedicated to feeding 4,000 people in Austin each year. Folks in more than 30 unofficial cities were feeding people in their own communities.

Our goal this year was to feed 4,000 people in Austin, TX. The 3rd Annual Austin Yam Jam was a tribute to the late, great Stephen Bruton. Alejandro Escovedo, Bob Schneider, David Grissom, Malford Milligan, Vitera, Boca Abajo, Kalua played the event and helped raise enough funds to cover the cost of food. Groups in 29 other cities operated as Operation Turkey delivering meals.

Our goal for the number of meals served in Austin, TX rose to 3,500. The 2nd Annual Austin Yam Jam included artists porterdavis, Guy Forsyth, Carolyn Wonderland, and Mingo Fishtrap. Horizon Bank donated 100 smoked turkeys in 2008 and we created the Turkey Tailgate to celebrate the donation. Employer Solutions Group, Austin Office Space, Dizzy Tee Designs, and J. Walton Media sponsored the event. Savvy Vodka, Red Bull, and Miller Litegraciously provided free drinks. More than 3,000 pounds of clothing was donated and enough funds were raised to buy food for all meals. Over 1,700 people registered as volunteers for Thanksgiving Day (spread between the two locations in Austin). 25 unofficial cities operated their own Operation Turkey.

Our goal was to feed between 2,000-3,000 people in Austin, so we held two music fundraising events, Keep Austin Fed Music Fest and Austin Yam Jam. Washington Mutual (WAMU) donated 250 backpacks and water bottles for kids, Fusion Learning Systems filled those backpacks with toiletries. Enough money was raised to buy food for 3,000 people. 600 volunteers showed up Thanksgiving Day and hand delivered meals to those in need. We had groups in 20 other unofficial cities delivering meals. (Unofficial cities typically deliver less than 500 meals).

More than 500 people benefited from Operation Turkey this year. Thanks to the fine folks at KUT, our first volunteer drive brought in over 250 requests to volunteer. Several churches and companies join Operation Turkey in 2006: Fusion Learning Systems, Remote Operations, The Accounting Group, Young Hispanic Professional Austin Association, and the Parmer Oaks Dental Care.

Thanks to the support of friends and family, they handed out 75 dinners and clothed over 105 people.

Keeping up with tradition, more friends joined and they doubled the number of meals, handing out 16 dinners and an equal number of coats and blankets.

More friends joined this year and they handed out 8 dinners and all of the coats and blankets they could find. They started calling the event Operation Turkey.

This year some friends joined Richard Bagdonas to hand out 4 dinners, 2 coats, and a blanket.

Richard Bagdonas doubled the number of meals from the previous year and handed out 2 meals.

Richard Bagdonas handed out one meal in Austin, TX to a homeless gentleman in a wheelchair on 6th Street.