10th Annual Chain of Giving

  One turkey, two turkeys, three turkeys… four! Over 600 turkeys were unloaded into GBFB’s freezers on Thursday, November 5, at the 10th Annual Chain of Giving.   During this yearly kick-off event to the holiday season, GBFB welcomed over 150 friends and partners at its Yawkey Distribution Center to unload the first of many truckloads of turkeys, passing them down a human “chain” and into the freezer.

During the holiday season over 120,000 turkeys will pass through GBFB, and together with our Annual Holiday Meal Drive, GBFB will provide over 500,000 healthy holiday meals including all of the fixings to families in need.

For the first time, Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito and Attorney General Maura Healey joined GBFB at the event. They both expressed their commitment to end hunger here throughout the Commonwealth and showed their enthusiasm to be at GBFB to share in this symbolic holiday event with the GBFB community.

A number of valued GBFB partners joined us including our Turkey Donors: Stop & Shop, Shaw’s Supermarket and Star Markets, Roche Brothers, Price Rite, BJ’s Wholesale Club, C&S Wholesale, Hannafords Supermarket, Big Y Supermarket, USDA, Walmart, King’s Bowling, Boston Celtics Coach Brad Tracy Stevens, and the Goldberg Family.

In addition a number of government officials participated in the event, along with guests from WAAF, WROR, iHeartRadio, New Balance, Harpoon Brewery, FedEx, The Boston Foundation, the Boston Red Sox and the New England Revolution including players Darrius Barnes and Steve Neumann.

Every year during Chain of Giving, we present the Nally Award, which is inspired by Danny and Betsy Nally, siblings from Westwood, MA, who began an annual turkey drive in 1996 when they were only 8 and 9 years old, and it is given out to a student or group of students each year who have contributed to ending hunger in their community. This year’s Nally Award was presented to Rileigh Varrieur, a 7-year old from Sharon, MA who participates in the annual Holiday Meal Drive by making Santa spoons in exchange for all donations.

“This morning, we experienced the power of our community working together to respond to a critical need in our community,” said Catherine D’Amato, GBFB President and CEO. “Everyone has a role in ending hunger in our community.”

To get involved in GBFB’s Holiday Meal Drive, visit GBFB.org/holidaymeals