Morongo Band of Mission Indians Gives Away 15,000 Thanksgiving Turkeys

The following is a Nov. 15, 2023, news release from the Morongo Band of Mission Indians:

MORONGO INDIAN RESERVATION — The Morongo Band of Mission Indians gave away 15,000 free turkeys this week to nonprofit groups, churches and charities across the San Gorgonio Pass and Southern California as part of its 37th Annual Thanksgiving Outreach program.

The turkeys donated this year will provide nearly 300,000 holiday meals to families, seniors and veterans in need from the Coachella Valley to Los Angeles. Over the course of the program’s history, Morongo has contributed almost 200,000 turkeys, which have helped provide an estimated 3.8 million holiday meals.

“Morongo is a giving tribe, and our annual Thanksgiving Outreach program is a reflection of our tribe’s core values to help others,” said Morongo Tribal Chairman Charles Martin. “These are challenging times, and we are committed to supporting those in our communities who are struggling so that they can enjoy the holiday with friends and loved ones.”

Tribal members and volunteers gathered at the Morongo Community Center for three days starting on Nov. 13 to distribute the 15,000 Thanksgiving turkeys to 115 nonprofit organizations, including food pantries, churches, senior centers, schools and veteran groups from across Southern California. Groups receiving turkeys hailed from Banning, Beaumont, Riverside, San Bernardino, Moreno Valley, Temecula, Desert Hot Springs, Redlands, Los Angeles, and other communities.

The groups will use the turkeys to provide hot holiday meals to those in need or will distribute the birds in holiday meal gift baskets with additional side dishes to help feed thousands of people who otherwise would not have been able to enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner this year.

Pastor Victor Archuleta of Victory Outreach Church in Banning said the 300 turkeys provided by Morongo will help struggling families enjoy a Thanksgiving dinner together.

"Morongo's generosity has touched the lives of many in our community, and we are immensely grateful,” Archuleta said. “The free holiday turkeys we receive from the tribe bring warmth and joy to those we serve."

Some of the non-profit groups in the San Gorgonio Pass to receive turkeys from Morongo included Carol’s Kitchen, Habitat for Humanity SCPA, Cabazon Elementary School, Iglesia Misionera Emanuel Asambleas de Dios, and Fountain of Life Temple Church. Other groups outside the area included the Los Angeles Mission, St. Elizabeth of Hungary Food Pantry in Desert Hot Springs, and the Janet Goeske Foundation in Riverside.

To receive turkeys, participating groups submitted applications to the Tribe and were notified over the summer that they had been selected. For organizations interested in receiving turkeys next Thanksgiving, applications for next year are due in Spring 2024.