McAllen Crime Stoppers, police host annual turkey meal giveaways

MCALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The city of McAllen and McAllen Crime Stoppers hosted its annual Turkey Meal Giveaway on Wednesday at the McAllen Police Department.

McAllen area families were pre-selected by McAllen ISD counselors and teachers and by the McAllen Police Department. 

The McAllen Crime Stoppers Board raised funds from the community for this special event to purchase Thanksgiving turkey dinners for about 250 families with modest means.

"The Crime Stoppers program is a nonprofit program that works to help McAllen PD," said McAllen Police Chief Victor Rodriguez. "Throughout the year they ask for assistance from the public, including donations. So they found Thanksgiving as the day to help those families in need. There are anywhere between 250 to 350 families that will get a full dinner with all the trimmings."

In addition to the meal giveaway the department also had its annual “Ticket or Turkey” event where officers pull over a motorist for a traffic violation. The driver can either choose the ticket or the turkey.