Helping Needy SouthCoast Families This Thanksgiving [TOWNSQUARE SUNDAY]

It's been 30 years of helping needy families on Thanksgiving for the United Way of Greater New Bedford. Its annual Hunger Heroes Food Drop will take place on Saturday, November 12 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Buttonwood Park Warming House.

The United Way and dozens of volunteers (including staffers from WBSM and Fun 107) will be collecting non-perishable food items donated by the public.

The United Way's Vice President of Marketing and Community Engagement Victoria Grasela dropped by Townsquare Sunday this week to share how you can get involved.

Grasela said the goal of the United Way is to collect enough food to create 1,000 Thanksgiving food baskets for needy families.

"We need items like canned vegetables, cornbread mix, cranberry sauce, gravy (no glass bottles), instant mashed potatos and stuffing," she said.

The donated food items with be sorted and packed in boxes for delivery to Keith Middle School on November 19, where volunteers will put together the baskets. The baskets will then go to area food pantries for distribution to families.

Each basket will also contain a $25 gift card to allow families to purchase a turkey or whatever main course they would like.

Vandals almost threw a monkey wrench into this year's Hunger Heroes Food Drive. Someone broke into the United Way's Hunger Commission van, shattering both the driver side and passenger side windows, ripping apart the dashboard, and flattening at least one tire.

Luckily, a United Way board member donated the use of a box truck for the food drive, so the agency won't miss a beat.

Grasela said New Bedford Police are investigating and damage to the truck is still being assessed.

You can hear the complete Townsquare Sunday interview with Grasela below:

Townsquare Sunday is a weekly public affairs program that airs this Sunday morning at 6 on 1420 AM and 99.5 FM.

The program highlights individuals and organizations seeking to make Greater New Bedford a better place to live and work.

If you would like your organization featured on Townsquare Sunday, please e-mail the host at jim.phillips@townsquaremedia.com.