Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Turkeypalooza presented by BetMGM to distribute 800 free turkeys at four locations across the region.
Washington Nationals Philanthropies, the official charitable arm of the Washington Nationals, today announces its biggest Thanksgiving food distribution to date with 800 turkeys to be given out during Turkeypalooza presented by BetMGM from Monday, Nov. 21 through Wednesday, Nov. 23. In partnership with BetMGM, the annual event will serve more families than ever before, expanding beyond the Washington Nationals Youth Baseball Academy to support residents in need across four area locations.
Now in its fifth year, the event has continued to grow to provide families with a turkey as well as a bag of additional food, including shelf-stable items and fresh produce, to help local residents complete their Thanksgiving meals. As food prices soar and key ingredients remain scarce, this year’s distribution will deliver more than 3,200 complete meals into communities where food access is already a challenge.
“Nationals Philanthropies is dedicated to helping all residents of the Greater Washington, D.C. region have the opportunity to thrive. Food insecurity is chief among the concerns of communities affected by poverty, particularly in a season that emphasizes food and family,” said Tal Alter, Chief Executive Officer of Washington Nationals Philanthropies. “Thanks in large part to the significant contributions of our partners at BetMGM, we are able to bring Thanksgiving meals directly to more residents, meeting them where they are throughout the region.”
Turkeypalooza presented by BetMGM locations were pinpointed based on the needs of residents. In addition to its traditional location serving Nationals Youth Baseball Academy families at the Academy campus, food distribution will be open to the public at Nationals Park on Monday, Nov. 21; KIPP DC Legacy College Preparatory near Scherzer Field on Tuesday, Nov. 22; and the Oakcrest Community Center in District Heights, Md. on Wednesday, Nov. 23. Each location will offer drive-through and walk-up distribution from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM.
“Investing in the communities where our employees and customers live and work is a priority to the entire MGM family. Nationals Philanthropies has a long track record of positive impact in the Greater Washington community, including efforts related to food insecurity, making a partnership an obvious choice. The team at BetMGM, the official sportsbook of the Washington Nationals, is proud to help the foundation expand its efforts this year and open Turkeypalooza to the public for the first time,” said Adam Greenblatt, Chief Executive Officer, BetMGM.
Its annual Turkeypalooza Thanksgiving food distribution is one of many ways that Nationals Philanthropies has addressed food access in the region in the past several years. The Academy operates the only year-round farmers market in Ward 7, providing community members with shares of fresh produce at a steeply discounted rate. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Nationals Philanthropies established the NATS4GOOD Community Response Fund, which dispersed charitable grants to community partners delivering essential food access, health and human services. During this time, the foundation partnered with DC Central Kitchen to adapt its meal service program during the pandemic for Scholar Athletes at the Academy to ensure continued food access through packaged, take-home containers. Additionally, through a partnership with the Nationals, Levy and World Central Kitchen, thousands of meals were prepared each day at Nationals Park and distributed to youth, seniors and other vulnerable populations. To date, the foundation has supported the distribution of over a million meals into the community.
Fans interested in supporting Nationals Philanthropies are encouraged to visit nats4good.org to learn more about its programs, impact, and upcoming campaign for Giving Tuesday.
About Washington Nationals Philanthropies
Washington Nationals Philanthropies is the official charitable arm of the Washington Nationals. Its mission is to champion opportunities for all residents of the Greater Washington region to thrive by inspiring investment in the community. The organization delivers on this commitment by spurring investment in community-based programs that address the disparity of opportunity for residents of the region across a variety of needs. Since 2007, the foundation has issued over $6.4 million in grants to local organizations. Through its signature program, the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy, the organization operates year round holistic youth development and baseball instruction activities. Since 2013, the organization has invested $39 million for facility construction and annual programming through the Academy. For more information about Nationals Philanthropies, visit nats4good.org.
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