The makers of the Jennie-O turkey brand are announcing that they have shattered the previous Guinness World Records title for the “Largest Donation of Turkeys in 24 Hours” with their donation of 15,000 whole turkeys, made Nov. 13 on World Kindness Day. Separately, Jennie-O is donating more than 5,000 turkeys to additional charities in the U.S., totaling more than 20,000 turkeys donated this Thanksgiving season. In total, Jennie-O is giving away more than 20,000 whole turkeys this Thanksgiving.
The Jennie-O brand collaborated with NBC’s Today, where weather- and feature-anchor Al Roker helped set the Nov. 13 record. Broadcasting from New York City, Roker and the Jennie-O team donated 15,000 turkeys to local partners of Feeding America, the largest charity working to end hunger in the United States. Seven thousand five hundred turkeys were provided to the New York area through their partners, Food Bank for New York City and City Harvest. The other 7,500 turkeys were donated to one of Feeding America’s Chicago partners, Greater Chicago Food Depository, on Nov. 13.