Fayetteville fraternity gifts 72 families with Thanksgiving meals ahead of holiday

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Many families don't know where their next meal will come from and Thanksgiving is no different. Thanks to the Beta Chi Chapter of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc., 72 families will have a meal that day.

"A number of our families have been presented with issues including homelessness, including displacement due to fire. We've had significant number of families who have suffered job loss," said Loyd Auman Elementary School Assistant Principal Dr. Queesha Tillman. "They are just so grateful. They show gratitude by saying thank you."

Loyd Auman Elementary is considered a Title 1 school, which means a large concentration of its student population are low income. On Monday morning several families who have students attending the school received Thanksgiving meals ahead of the holiday.

Members of the fraternity held a food drive among each other by collecting money to purchase frozen turkeys along with all the Thanksgiving trimmings for 72 families in need between 11 schools across the Sandhills. The organization worked closely with school social workers to identify those families

"One day these kids will grow up and see how positive we are and will get involved and hopefully give back to the community," said fraternity member Justin Malloy, who is also a third-grade teacher at the school. "Somebody has to have these meals and we're so blessed to be able to provide them with it."