TIFTON — The Larry Dean Foundation and United Way of South Central Georgia handed out Thanksgiving turkeys and grocery bags full of food Saturday morning on Cole Street.

This is the fourth year the foundation has provided Thanksgiving turkeys to the community.

“I’m afforded the opportunity to be a blessing to my people, to my community,” said Dean. “That’s an important thing to me.”

Dean has partnered with the local United Way since 2011, his NFL rookie year with the Minnesota Vikings.

Dean currently plays for the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League.

“Every year has been a great response,” said Dean. “The community really supports the things that we do. This is also the people who have seen me grow up. It’s my way to say thank you for all the support over the years, following my career. Whether it’s been encouraging words or hitting me up on IG, the Instagram, to say keep it up, keep grinding, keep working. I appreciate all that and this is a way to show a token of respect.”

On Friday, Dean joined Pat McKinnon, president/CEO of United Way of South Central Georgia, to thank representatives of Ameris Bank on 2nd Street for their donation of more than 10,000 canned goods.

Those were part of a recent company-wide food drive for Ameris, one that saw the company raise nearly 1,000,000 food items.

The Ameris donation joins the thousands of canned goods donated by businesses, organizations and individuals from throughout the UWSCG’s service area of Tift, Turner, Irwin, Cook and Ben Hill counties.

Recently, McKinnon has received multiple calls for food assistance.

“I get so many calls here lately, people needing food,” said McKinnon. “And they don’t know where all the pantries are or they don’t have transportation.”

In addition to helping with the Thanksgiving turkey giveaway Saturday, the United Way will be providing bags of Thanksgiving groceries 10 a.m.—2 p.m., Nov. 21 and 22 at their local office.

“This helps my citizens and my community where they don’t have to spend their money because they might need to pay the water bill, they might need to pay that light bill, they might need to pay the rent,” said McKinnon. “And they won’t be able to do that and eat because they have a bill that’s got to be paid. Nobody needs to be hungry in Tift County.”

For residents who don’t have transportation, the United Way is also offering to deliver a bag of Thanksgiving groceries.

Residents can call the United Way office at 229-382-2884.

McKinnon is still accepting donations for the Thanksgiving food drive.

“Or they can wait to after Thanksgiving to start helping me get ready for Christmas,” said McKinnon.

The United Way office is located at 211 W. 4th St.