Sixteen-year community effort helps power a record-setting regional turkey total
FOLSOM – As families across the region sit down to celebrate Thanksgiving this week, one long-running Folsom effort played a pretty big role in making sure thousands of local households had the opportunity to do so—families who may have otherwise gone without. More than 5,000 Thanksgiving meals will reach local homes thanks to the Friends of Folsom “Framily,” as they call it, and the overwhelming community support behind the organization’s 16th annual Turkey Drive.
Their efforts helped Sacramento Food Bank & Family Services surpass 18,000 turkeys this holiday season—the largest total in its history—and Friends of Folsom once again served as one of the region’s most significant community contributors.
The roots of this achievement go back to the very first year Friends of Folsom participated in the countywide drive. Sixteen years ago, a small circle of friends, families, and local businesses collected just 200 turkeys. That single act of grassroots generosity sparked what would become one of the most impactful holiday traditions in the region.
As the years passed, more small businesses, vendors, customers, neighbors, and extended families joined in, steadily building a volunteer network that has now fed more than 80,000 families since that first collection. The Friends of Folsom “Framily” grew in size and spirit each year, fueled by the belief that no gesture is too small and “every little bit helps.”
That belief has been on full display throughout the past several weeks as Friends of Folsom rallied the community through a series of collection efforts, all leading up to the main drive on Veterans Day. On that day, volunteers worked from early morning until sundown gathering donations. Families arrived with turkeys in hand, children helped carry boxes across the lot, supporters stopped by to give what they could, and volunteers moved constantly between cars and collection stations.
The steady, almost uninterrupted flow of activity created a full-day rhythm of lifting, counting, sorting, and celebrating generosity in action—an unmistakable reminder of the community’s commitment to showing up for its neighbors.
Jeff Garcia, President and Founder of Friends of Folsom, expressed deep gratitude for the efforts that came together to reach this year’s total. “So madly appreciative of all the people willing to give something,” Garcia said. “Some gave their sponsorship, some gave a donation, some gave time, and some gave effort. And it all added up! Thousands of families will be fed that normally wouldn’t gain the opportunity. This year we put in more hours, more effort, more time, more money, and equated to less total families than in years past and I promise I’m even more proud.”
Garcia explained that reaching this year’s total was the result of multiple coordinated efforts. The “Buy One More” event at Walmart and Grocery Outlet contributed roughly 10 percent of the final turkey count, proving how impactful small, simple actions can be when multiplied throughout the community. Additional momentum came from events held throughout the year, including the Friends of Folsom Family Festival and the 16th annual Turkey Drive Party at Zillow Amphitheater featuring The Spazmatics. The event drew a large crowd and raised more money than in previous years, even as the cost of feeding families continues to rise. Garcia noted that the increased fundraising, yet fewer families served, underscores how expensive basic holiday food items have become.
Friends of Folsom Vice President Sarah Woods echoed those sentiments, emphasizing the collective power of the community behind the effort. “A special THANK YOU to Butcher Power Products for helping us get across the finish line when we were just a little shy of our goal,” Woods said. “It truly takes a village to feed thousands, and we have one mighty, generous, and unstoppable FRAMILY. I want to personally thank all of them for showing up this week, this month, this year… and for the last 16 years of heart, sweat, laughter, and pure community magic. We hope that their own Thanksgiving feels a little warmer knowing how many tables they helped fill.”
Woods also reflected on the blend of longtime volunteers and first-time participants who showed up, noting that the continued growth of the effort comes from both steady supporters and new faces joining every year.
Friends of Folsom extended a special recognition to Jake’s Journey Home Group, whose volunteers delivered several hundred turkeys of their own. Their contribution came at a critical moment and provided a major boost to the final total.
With Thanksgiving complete, Friends of Folsom is already moving into its next seasonal mission: the annual Adopt-a-Family, Teenager, and Senior Citizen Drive. The program allows community members to support local households directly by fulfilling a holiday wishlist or donating funds to allow volunteers to shop on their behalf—one of the most personal and meaningful ways to brighten the season for those who need extra support.
Community members wishing to participate can donate through VenmoHERE(https://bit.ly/48bKn1G) or make a tax-deductible online donation with no feesHERE(https://bit.ly/4hEwQCV).
Friends of Folsom will also host its annual “Framilys-Giving” gathering on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at Crawdads on the Lake, featuring Garden Groove, a Sublime tribute band. The celebration has become a cherished local tradition—a night of music, connection, and gratitude honoring the work made possible by thousands of local residents.
As the organization looks back on another year of service, Friends of Folsom shared a message of gratitude for the community that fuels its mission: “A million thanks—or at least a few thousand. We are humbled, proud, and endlessly grateful for the outpouring of love, energy, and generosity shown by this community year after year. Together, we continue to show what true community looks like.”
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