Nats' Turkeypalooza gives out 180 turkeys

WASHINGTON -- Cars streamed into the parking lot of the Nationals Youth Baseball Academy on Monday afternoon and evening. The Academy’s fourth annual Turkeypalooza provided 180 turkeys and 300 bags of produce to participants of the facility’s youth baseball and after-school programs ahead of Thanksgiving.

“The most important thing to us is that we are an authentic member of this community,” said Tal Alter, CEO of Washington Nationals Philanthropies. “We’re fortunate to have been able to invest the resources to create such a beautiful, dynamic facility. We want to make sure that it’s maximized in order to serve the community, and -- especially this time of year -- providing access to food is vital.”

This year’s Turkeypalooza provided food for 900 meals. The event was expanded to include the distribution of produce, funded by donations from Nats fans to the Academy’s Field of Greens farmers market through the Buy a Bag program, in partnership with 4P Foods. The market offers access to fresh food where there are just three grocery stores to serve nearly 165,000 residents of Wards 7 and 8 in Washington, D.C., according to the DC Food Policy Council’s Food System Assessment.

“This is not transactional in any way; we’re here every day out of the year,” said Alter. “It’s important that people know that they have access to events like this. But, more importantly, our doors are open and we’re here to serve the community and be members of the community throughout the year.”

The day before Turkeypalooza, the Nationals Philanthropies also began 10 Days of #GivingTuesday to benefit the Academy. Those who donate $100 or more will receive a winter hat with the Academy’s logo. This fundraising program runs through Nov. 30, the annual day of giving.