NORWICH - With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many families will find themselves roaming area supermarkets and grocery store aisles for the assorted food items necessary to prepare the traditional family dinner.

For those unable to offset the cost of Thanksgiving dinner, The Place – in conjunction with The United Church of Christ (UCC) –, is currently holding a food drive, collecting non-perishable food items for UCC’s Thanksgiving baskets that will be handed out to families in need on Tuesday, Nov. 26.

Area children and teens at The Place have made it a goal this year to collect at least 200 boxes of stuffing. Other non-perishable items that are needed include canned corn, canned peas, canned carrots, canned fruit, canned cranberry sauce, canned gravy or gravy mix, canned soup, and canned yams.

Along with collecting the food items, teens and children will be helping the UCC in basket assembly; and the teens will also aid in distribution of the baskets to area families in need.

In 2012, The Place and UCC distributed some 200 baskets and nine gift certificates to area families. 2013 marks the sixth year that students and staff of The Place have contributed to the continued success of the program.

Linda Oehme of UCC addressed a room full of nearly 35 children and staff with this year’s challenge. As the throng listened, Oehme explained the importance of community donations and how the cost of food items has effected the program.

“On average last year, the cost for one of our Thanksgiving baskets was approximately $21 and the projected cost this year is expected to reach more than $23 per basket,” said Oehme.