On Nov. 23, 2021, two days before Thanksgiving, teams of about 60 volunteers gathered at the parking lot of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for the annual turkey distribution conducted by Poor Robert’s Mission, a charitable outreach with a four decade tradition of serving those in need in the Washington area. That day, Poor Robert’s Mission distributed more than 7,200 turkeys that will be distributed to local families by 108 area charities, schools, soup kitchens and churches. (CS photos/Andrew Biraj)
The work of Poor Robert’s Mission began in 1967, when Bobby Abbo and patrons of his family’s Roma Restaurant raised money for the Little Sisters of the Poor. Poor Robert’s was formally established as a charity in 1981, and after Abbo’s death in 2014, his nephew, Zachary Huke, has led the outreach, which supports community organizations in serving local families. In addition to the Thanksgiving turkeys, the charity also funds costs to purchase transportation vehicles for charitable organizations in the Washington area and provides grants to a variety of nonprofit organizations. On Nov. 23, Poor Robert's Mission distributed enough turkeys to feed an estimated 72,000 people. Huke said, “The most inspiring thing for me is the number of people we are able to help. PRM is a very simple organization. We do one thing and one thing well: raise money to buy Thanksgiving turkeys for others. And we touch a lot of lives.” A video at the end of this photo gallery shows scenes from the Nov. 23 turkey distribution. (CS photos/Andrew Biraj)
Catholic Charities Thanksgiving dinner
The photos below show scenes from later on Nov. 23, 2021, when staff and volunteers of Catholic Charities of The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington distributed a warm Thanksgiving dinner to about 300 guests outside the Pepco Edison Place Gallery in Washington, D.C. Msgr. John Enzler, Catholic Charities’ president and CEO, joined the volunteers and guests at the annual holiday dinner. (CS photos/Andrew Biraj)
The Thanksgiving meals provided by Catholic Charities included turkey, mashed potatoes with gravy, collard greens, cornbread and a brownie, all made by the agency's food services department. In preparation for winter, guests at Catholic Charities’ Thanksgiving dinner also received winter coats from Pepco, along with a cosmetic bag filled with toiletries. Since the start of the pandemic, Catholic Charities’ homeless shelters have been open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. (CS photos/Andrew Biraj)
