COEUR d'ALENE - Turkeys for All is the next local organization to respond to the food bank's recent call for help.

On Aug. 14, Turkeys for All purchased more than $6,200 worth of food from Super 1 Foods and it immediately went onto the shelves of the Food Bank at the Community Action Partnership in Coeur d'Alene.

"Whereas our primary goal and function is to make sure that everyone gets a turkey at Thanksgiving, our bylaws also allow us to help at other times of the year, such as now," said Jim Myers, founder and president of Turkeys for All. "Hunger is hunger and it isn't just limited to Thanksgiving."

The Press article titled "Help! Food bank shelves are empty" was published July 31 to inform the community that the food bank is extremely low on food and needing donations. Turkeys for All, which generally works to provide hungry families and individuals with a Thanksgiving holiday meal, tapped into its treasury to assist the food bank with this emergency situation.

"We're really, really glad to do it," Myers said. Myers, who is friends with food bank manager Carolyn Shewfelt, said he knows the food donations are down dramatically from what they were a year ago. He said Super 1 was a huge help in the matter because Turkeys for All was able to make its purchases with the grocery store's buying power at the supermarket's cost.

"This meant that we were able to donate more food at a time of great need," he said. "It is a tragedy that in today's America people are going hungry, and we need to take care of those who are in the greatest need."

Turkeys for All is a 501(c)(3) registered charity with the objective of raising money year 'round to support the food bank with enough birds to feed every family on its registry. Each board member is a volunteer, and 100 percent of the money it raises goes to buying food for those in need. It relies solely on donations.

The annual Turkeys for All fundraiser will be Oct. 17 at the Best Western on Appleway in Coeur d'Alene. Live and silent auction items are needed and will be gratefully received.

To donate, visit www.turkeysforall.org.