Successful turkey delivery: Topeka nonprofit feeds local families

TOPEKA (KSNT) – A Topeka nonprofit is making sure local families get to participate in Thanksgiving this year.

Andre Banks, the founder of ‘One Can One Kid,’ has made it a mission, and an annual tradition, to feed a group of local families on Thanksgiving each year. He successfully delivered his turkeys to 10 Topeka families today.

“We found some families that were in need of a Thanksgiving, and so we smoked the turkeys, and gave them all the sides and fixings to go along so they can have a good, wholesome Thanksgiving.”

He’s so committed to serving these families, Banks and his good friend Robbie Garcia start cooking the food at 4 a.m. Thanksgiving morning.

“Smoking meats has always been a hobby for the last 15-20 years, and he reached out wanting to help the community out,” Garcia said. “Being able to have the means to do it and being able to give back is a really good heartwarming feeling.”

This is the fourth year in a row Banks has done this, feeding 10 local families each year. His nonprofit collects and cashes in aluminum cans in order to cover the meal costs.

“It’s absolutely amazing how appreciative they are,” Banks said of the families he serves. “I get thank you calls and texts all the time. It’s amazing to see it actually going to a good spot to someone in need that’s really getting something out of it.”

Banks, a lifelong Topekan, has campaigns around different holidays that are all aimed at helping his hometown community.

For more information on One Can One Kid, you can visit the organization’s Facebook page.