Every year, around 40 University of Georgia organizations collect ingredients in the weeks leading up to Turkeypalooza weekend, where Campus Kitchen students and volunteers prepare over 1,000 Thanksgiving meals for families all over Athens.
Turkeypalooza
Turkeypalooza is one of the most exciting times of year for Campus Kitchen as well as all of OSL. During this jam-packed weekend, it’s all hands on deck as dozens of volunteers come together to create meals consisting of mashed potatoes, collards, green bean casserole, stuffing, gravy, turkey and delicious pumpkin pie. Although the dirty dishes seem to never end, it’s all worth it to have the opportunity to provide Thanksgiving meals to those experiencing food insecurity in Athens.
Since 2015:
Help us bring home the holidays to seniors in our community
Turkeypalooza is the seasonal event of the Campus Kitchen at UGA and the Athens Community Council on Aging that provides holiday groceries and meals to older adult families and homebound individuals. This year, on our 12th Anniversary, members of our community across Athens will come together to donate time and cans to provide about 350 families with holiday meals and groceries.
In 2024, Turkeypalooza provided prepared meals and grocery bags for approximately 1,600 individuals in Clarke County. This included 350 packaged bags and 190 cooked meals prepared for ACCA and Campus Kitchen clients.
Read about this year’s impact on UGA Today!
Any UGA student organization, UGA department, work group, or civic group will be able to participate in our annual can drive.
Take part in the 2026 Turkeypalooza
For the 15th year in a row, Campus Kitchen is collecting cans to provide holiday meals for older adults, families and homebound individuals in the Athens-Clarke County area and we need YOUR help!
Turkeypalooza is a partnership between the student-run Campus Kitchen and the Athens Community Council on Aging (ACCA). Last year, more than 40 campus and community organizations donated more than 3,000 cans, boxes, and bags of food during the drive. Additionally, the ACCA raised money to buy turkeys for the meals, and the student-run UGArden Student Community Farm supplied fresh produce, including green beans and collards.
This year’s can collection will run from Monday, Oct. 26, through Wednesday, Nov. 11. UGA departments, student organizations, Greek life, Athens-Clarke County businesses and civic groups are invited to participate and collect cans or monetary donations so we can reach our goal of serving families in Athens this holiday season.
To participate, organizations must register by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 14, by filling out the attached google form (https://tinyurl.com/bdhzc49p). After the deadline, we will send additional information regarding your participation. Campus Kitchen will provide collection goals, posters, and collection bins for your organization.
On Friday, Nov. 21, UGA Public Service and Outreach Student Scholars will pack cans and ingredients into grocery bags to deliver to recipients to prepare at home. Campus Kitchen students and community volunteers will use the remaining cans to cook prepared Thanksgiving meals on Nov. 21 & 22. On Nov. 23, Campus Kitchen volunteers and the ACCA will distribute meals and groceries to households throughout the Athens region. Last year, 123 families received bags of groceries, and 130 individuals received prepared Thanksgiving meals thanks to YOUR efforts.
We are counting on our community to show up again this year and we appreciate your interest and support. Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments about our process or your organization’s involvement.
Thank you!