DETROIT (FOX 2) – Detroiters and Highland Park residents lined up along 7 Mile near John R throughout Thursday morning, all hoping to grab a free turkey in time for the holidays.

Big picture view:

America’s Community Council hosted its annual giveaway, distributing more than 1,200 turkeys.

Since 2 a.m. on Thursday, a line of cars along 7 Mile has been growing, and the line just kept on going and going. It was, in fact, over a mile long. What’s the home run at the end of the line? Free turkeys.

“I come here every month to come and get food. This is a big deal for the turkey because of the shutdown, and I need it. Thanksgiving is coming,” said resident Sharon Hare.

“It’s vitally important, especially given everything we’ve seen with SNAP benefits and food insecurities. We’re here to fill the gap,” said Chief Executive Officer of America’s Community Council, Odie Fakhouri.

Odie Fakhouri says the ACC’s distributions have doubled and tripled in number this past month due to the SNAP benefit issues.

“I know there’s been issues with food stamps; has that affected you? Yes, they just put it on my card today. That’s a good thing. It took a while. Yes, it did, and I was panicking. What are you going to do with that turkey? Clean it, stuff it, and put it in the oven,” said Hare.

What you can do:

If you missed the 2025 turkey giveaway and need help, the ACC hosts food distributions every Thursday and provides many other resources.