Polk Sheriff's Charities, Inc., a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit charitable organization, is sponsoring a free turkey giveaway Saturday, November 21, 2020, at three Polk County locations (see below). 

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, the Polk Sheriff's Charities board decided to contribute turkeys to families who may be finding it tough to put a meal together for the holiday.

"We know that there are families out there who are struggling financially and we want to do our small part to help out during the holidays. This is the third year in a row that we've been able to provide turkeys to our citizens, thanks to the generous donations made year-round to Polk Sheriff's Charities. Here's just one of many messages we received last year, from a woman named Melissa: 'Thank you all so much for your contribution to the community today. So many families were blessed with a turkey for their Thanksgiving celebration, including mine.' It is so heartwarming to be able to make a positive difference in others' lives." - Grady Judd, Sheriff 

The turkeys will be distributed one per family, one per vehicle on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. No identification or pre-qualification will be required to receive a turkey.

Deputies will be at each location to hand out the frozen birds, which are in the 15 to 17 pound range. Up to 1,400 turkeys will be given away.

The locations and times where the turkeys will be distributed are:

East Polk: 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Church on the Hill, 1111 Scenic Hwy, Dundee;
Cars will only be allowed to enter the parking lot south of the church from Old Scenic Hwy, then will be directed around the back of the church to the distribution point. Cars will then be directed to exit north onto Old Scenic Hwy towards Dundee.

Central Polk: 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 
Lake Region High School campus, 1995 Thunder Road, Eagle Lake;
Cars will be directed to enter onto Cameron Road from US 17, which turns into Gilbert Street, then onto Thunder Road, through the school parking lot to the distribution point, and back out onto Gilbert Street.

West Polk: 1:00 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Lakes Church (AKA Church at the Mall), 1010 East Memorial Blvd, Lakeland;
Cars will only be allowed to enter the parking lot from the westbound lane of Memorial at the intersection with Ingraham Avenue, and then will be directed to the rear parking lot of the church to the distribution point. Cars will be directed to exit westbound onto Memorial, or straight onto Ingraham Avenue.

Polk Sheriff's Charities, Inc. was officially formed in December of 2006 and is a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit charitable organization. Although the idea for the charity had been discussed for some time, it was formed as a result of the tragic murder of Deputy Matt Williams and K-9 DiOGi after a routine traffic stop. The community's outpouring of emotional and monetary support after that tragic event ultimately demonstrated how a charity like PSCI would be supported.

To date, the charity has provided monetary support to Polk County Sheriff's Office members who are facing significant unexpected negative events in their lives, scholarships for law enforcement family members and other deserving Polk County students, and the Polk County Sheriff's Office law enforcement memorial. The charity also supports needs that the law enforcement community has identified, such as purchasing Christmas gifts for children in Polk County's most economically challenged neighborhoods, supporting organizations dedicated to assisting victims of crime and domestic violence, supporting local charities who positively impact crime and quality of life issues in communities the Sheriff's Office serves, and supporting the agency's K-9 unit for replacement of their beloved K-9 partners.