Salvation Army says need is up

TULSA - Thanksgiving is less than two weeks away, and some Green Country families are trying to figure out how to put food on the table.

The Salvation Army may be best known for its bell ringers, but it also feeds the hungry on Thanksgiving. In Tulsa, the Salvation Army expects to serve 800 meals on Turkey Day.

Volunteers say demand for help is up, but donations remain the same.
"We're seeing a lot more people who need our services, and the demographics are different. We're seeing more and more families who are asking for help for the very first time," said Sallie Godwin with the Tulsa Salvation Army.

Godwin says the same number of people are sending in donations. What surprises her is the people who continue to give, even when they don't have much income to spare.
"We're very thankful to the Tulsa community for giving and remembering people who are needy, even during the recession," Godwin said.

The Salvation Army is gearing up for a busy holiday season. The red kettle drive kicks off on Thursday. And it plans to give away 3,500 turkeys for Christmas.
"It's the spirit of the season so it's vitally important to remember other people who don't have as much as you do," Godwin said.

Thanksgiving dinner will be at the Center of Hope, 102 S. Denver from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. John 3:16 Mission also gives away thousands of turkeys to needy families on Thanksgiving.