WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — As we prepare to celebrate the holidays, it’s also that time of year where many give back. College students in our state are tackling the challenge to feed those in their community.


What You Need To Know

  • Wake Forest University Campus Kitchen is hosting its yearly Turkeypalooza

  • It’s the biggest fundraiser of the year for Campus Kitchen

  • Student leaders and student volunteers are making 500 Thanksgiving dinners

Wake Forest University Campus Kitchen is hosting its yearly Turkeypalooza Fundraiser. It’s a weeklong donation of Thanksgiving meals to local organizations and nonprofits across Winston-Salem.

“We work with eight other organizations like Parenting Path who basically utilize the food that we prepare,” said Julia Mcelhinny, a senior biology student at Wake Forest University and executive student leader of Campus Kitchen.

The student leaders and student volunteers are making 500 Thanksgiving meals that will be delivered in the community until Tuesday. Turkeypalooza is Campus Kitchen's biggest fundraiser of the year.

"These Thanksgiving meals are turkey, greens beans, stuffing, pumpkin cookies, cranberry sauce and sweet potato casserole," Mcelhinny said.

Turkeypalooza coincides with National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.

This event is just one of Campus Kitchen's efforts that go on weekly and all year-round. They are hoping to make a dent in the hunger problem in Forsyth County.

"We’re not the end-all be-all to solve the hunger issues we have in Forsyth County, Winston-Salem, but we’re helping to solve one small piece of the puzzle,” said Cierra Palmer, staff coordinator for Campus Kitchen.