29th annual basket brigade takes Thanksgiving meals to families in need

Over 200 families throughout Butte County, including Bear Fire survivor families, received a basket filled with a turkey, mashed potatoes, and everything a family needs for a Thanksgiving meal.

All organized at Azad's Martial Arts Center in Chico.

New tonight -- over 200 families received a much needed helping hand this thanksgiving.

Action news now reporter esteban reynoso is live in chico.

Esteban, you spoke with a family who was given one of these baskets, how do they feel?

This was the 29th annual basket brigade at azad's martial arts center.

And the family i spoke with alan tells me that without this thanksgiving basket, there would be no thanksgiving.

"it's still struggling, everybody needs help sometimes.

It's okay to accept it when you need it."

"some kids don't get food on thanksgiving, some kids can't afford it, and some kids just don't live in the areas where they could get the food, it's really nice that people could just come by and give us food."

And it's not just households impacted financially -- 21 families in berry creek, affected by the bear fire will also receive a thanksgiving basket do you think that some of them wouldn't have a thanksgiving meal without this?

"probably they don't have a home or anything else right, they're staying in travel trailers, motel rooms. this is a portion of the meals we're getting, we're getting more tomorrow too."

Grandmaster azad pushed the martial art stuff aside and over 200 baskets were prepared, stuffed with turkey, mashed potatoes, anything a family needs for a thanksgiving meal.

"this is a program that helps a lot of families with school aged children who may be in some sort of financial difficulty right now, people that are like you and i that are having a difficult time right now.

We want to reach them, we want to access them."

Delivery drivers pulled up, volunteers loaded up the baskets, and they were taken to the selected families.

"there you go you guys enjoy.

Happy holidays.

Thank you!"

Families like zoe's "it makes me happy that i get to spend time with my family."

We're in the middle of this pandemic, right, cases are surging, why not cancel it?

Why continue this going?

"you know i think the message over here is that we're all going through hard times, i know for a fact my business is going through hard times just like any other business in town.

There's not a person in the world right now that is not impacted by covid-19 but we have to have the attitude of graditude.

We have to have the attitude of thrive rather than strive."

As they prepared the baskets, covid precautions were taken.

Everyone wore masks and had their temperature taken before entering.

Live in chico, esteban reynoso for action news now.

Next week, azad's will also hold a similar event for shoes to be given away to berry creek elementary.