The Return of the Jaquial & Community Turkey Drive

The Jaquial & Community Turkey Drive is the longest-running community initiative of For The Love of Community, Inc., created to bring families, volunteers, local businesses, organizations, and community partners together around a simple commitment: ensuring families have the food they need to celebrate Thanksgiving with LOVE & COMMUNITY.

What began in 2012 during Dr. Jaquial L. Durham’s years at D.W. Daniel High School has grown through the continued support of families, volunteers, businesses, churches, organizations, and community partners throughout the Upstate. Over the years, the turkey drive has helped provide Thanksgiving resources to more than 1,500 families, creating opportunities for people to come together through service, generosity, and care.

After more than a decade of service, the return of the Jaquial & Community Turkey Drive represents a renewed investment in the community where it began. This year, we have found a new home for the Turkey Drive at New Poplar Springs Baptist Church in Central, South Carolina. On November 21, 2026, we will return the Jaquial & Community Turkey Drive to Central, SC, to serve households across Pickens, Oconee, and Anderson Counties.

Each household will receive a full Thanksgiving meal, including a turkey, dressing, fresh-grown collard greens, sweet potatoes, a tote bag and more. We invite local businesses, organizations, churches, families, and community members to help us bring in this year’s Thanksgiving. Community support and in-kind contributions will directly support Thanksgiving food, distribution supplies, volunteers, transportation, and family and youth engagement.

Every contribution helps us move closer to putting Thanksgiving on 125 meal tables and creating space for the community to gather through service, connection, and care.

Join us for the love of community… as we celebrate the return of the Jaquial & Community Turkey Drive.