Pumpkin pies, turkeys, eggs, bread and vegetables — ingredients for a great holiday meal — were distributed in Collier County recently by dozens of volunteers like Kayla Ballard and Ava Adams, both First Baptist Academy students — “serving others, serves God,” Kayla said.
The distribution was part of the 19th year for the Capital Wealth Advisors Turkey Drop Event and was made possible this year from Capital Wealth Advisors partnering with St. Matthew’s House in Naples to collect and pass out thousands of Thanksgiving meals.
Naples families pick up Thanksgiving meals thanks to Capital Wealth Advisors and St. Matthew’s House
At ages of 13 and 14, Ava and Kayla already know quite a bit about compassion and serving their community.
The gratitude of those receiving the food is palpable, Kayla said: “It's fun to see people smile. And you know they're going to have a good meal for Thanksgiving.”
“Sometimes they just have tears in their eyes," Ava added.
This was the third year the two volunteered at this event.
On the day of the distrtiibution, Nov. 16, more than 1,500 meals were handed out over 3 hours.
“Next year we hope to double this number,” Bill Beynon, owner of Capital Wealth Advisors and creator of The Turkey Drop, said. “Collier county is a wonderful place to live. It's known as an affluent community. But we really have a lot of people that are food insecure. Different things impact that, last year it was the hurricane, this year it's inflation and the cost of food, but the need, as our population grows, continues to grow.”
"We really have a lot of people that are food insecure. Different things impact that, last year it was the hurricane, this year it's inflation and the cost of food, but the need, as our population grows, continues to grow."
Bill Beynon, owner of Capital Wealth Advisors and creator of The Turkey Drop
Hundreds of cars wound through the parking lot at First Baptist Church in Naples, patiently waiting for the free meal.
Marie Louis waited in her SUV, marked with a number two, with her mother.
“I think it is nice this company giving turkeys,” Louis said. “We are praying every year and God bless them and we thank them for giving us food.”
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Volunteers spent the day handing out thousands of turkey dinners to families who have food insecurity in Collier County, FL. Capital Wealth Advisors, an independent financial advisory firm, partnered with St. Matthew’s House for the 19th Annual Capital Wealth Advisors (CWA) Turkey Drop event. On Monday Turkeys and donations were dropped off to make this event possible. Besides turkeys, families were given, eggs, vegetables, pumpkin pies, juice and other Thanksgiving fixings.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
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— WGCUTurkeyDrop111723AM
Volunteers spent the day handing out thousands of turkey dinners to families who have food insecurity in Collier County, FL. Capital Wealth Advisors, an independent financial advisory firm, partnered with St. Matthew’s House for the 19th Annual Capital Wealth Advisors (CWA) Turkey Drop event. On Monday Turkeys and donations were dropped off to make this event possible. Besides turkeys, families were given, eggs, vegetables, pumpkin pies, juice and other Thanksgiving fixings.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
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The number of meals were written on the car’s window as they entered the venue. Volunteers spent the day handing out thousands of turkey dinners to families who have food insecurity in Collier County, FL. Capital Wealth Advisors, an independent financial advisory firm, partnered with St. Matthew’s House for the 19th Annual Capital Wealth Advisors (CWA) Turkey Drop event. On Monday Turkeys and donations were dropped off to make this event possible. Besides turkeys, families were given, eggs, vegetables, pumpkin pies, juice and other Thanksgiving fixings.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
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— WGCUTurkeyDrop111723AM
Turkeys and pumpkin pies were ready for distribution. Volunteers spent the day handing out thousands of turkey dinners to families who have food insecurity in Collier County, FL. Capital Wealth Advisors, an independent financial advisory firm, partnered with St. Matthew’s House for the 19th Annual Capital Wealth Advisors (CWA) Turkey Drop event. On Monday Turkeys and donations were dropped off to make this event possible. Besides turkeys, families were given, eggs, vegetables, pumpkin pies, juice and other Thanksgiving fixings.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
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Thanksgiving fixings are loaded into the back of a car. Volunteers spent the day handing out thousands of turkey dinners to families who have food insecurity in Collier County, FL. Capital Wealth Advisors, an independent financial advisory firm, partnered with St. Matthew’s House for the 19th Annual Capital Wealth Advisors (CWA) Turkey Drop event. On Monday Turkeys and donations were dropped off to make this event possible. Besides turkeys, families were given, eggs, vegetables, pumpkin pies, juice and other Thanksgiving fixings.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
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Bob Howell, St. Matthew’s House Board of Directors, puts turkeys into the back of a car that was picking up for multiple families. Volunteers spent the day handing out thousands of turkey dinners to families who have food insecurity in Collier County, FL. Capital Wealth Advisors, an independent financial advisory firm, partnered with St. Matthew’s House for the 19th Annual Capital Wealth Advisors (CWA) Turkey Drop event. On Monday Turkeys and donations were dropped off to make this event possible. Besides turkeys, families were given, eggs, vegetables, pumpkin pies, juice and other Thanksgiving fixings.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
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Volunteers celebrate as the number of meals given surpassed the number given last year. Volunteers spent the day handing out thousands of turkey dinners to families who have food insecurity in Collier County, FL. Capital Wealth Advisors, an independent financial advisory firm, partnered with St. Matthew’s House for the 19th Annual Capital Wealth Advisors (CWA) Turkey Drop event. On Monday Turkeys and donations were dropped off to make this event possible. Besides turkeys, families were given, eggs, vegetables, pumpkin pies, juice and other Thanksgiving fixings.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
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— WGCUTurkeyDrop111723AM
Volunteers spent the day handing out thousands of turkey dinners to families who have food insecurity in Collier County, FL. Capital Wealth Advisors, an independent financial advisory firm, partnered with St. Matthew’s House for the 19th Annual Capital Wealth Advisors (CWA) Turkey Drop event. On Monday Turkeys and donations were dropped off to make this event possible. Besides turkeys, families were given, eggs, vegetables, pumpkin pies, juice and other Thanksgiving fixings.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
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Food is loaded into the back of a car. Volunteers spent the day handing out thousands of turkey dinners to families who have food insecurity in Collier County, FL. Capital Wealth Advisors, an independent financial advisory firm, partnered with St. Matthew’s House for the 19th Annual Capital Wealth Advisors (CWA) Turkey Drop event. On Monday Turkeys and donations were dropped off to make this event possible. Besides turkeys, families were given, eggs, vegetables, pumpkin pies, juice and other Thanksgiving fixings.
Andrea Melendez/WGCU
The holiday season is known for giving, but Beynon stressed the need in Collier County is a year-round issue.
“This is one time of the year, the holidays, but there’s food needed year-round," he said. "If this inspires you to give to the local community, to St Matthew’s House, to give to a food bank, to whoever, a church, to help solve this problem throughout the year.”
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