BOSTON (AP) – A record number of the hungry receive turkey donated by the Greater Boston Food Bank.

Officials say they have distributed more than 38,000 turkeys this holiday season, making this the pantry’s most successful turkey drive ever. The number exceeds last year’s total by nearly 3,000 turkeys.

The food bank’s chief Catherine D’Amato says the spike in heating and gas prices together with food costs has forced some in the community to turn to a local food pantry for the first time in their lives.

The Greater Boston Food Bank serves 83,000 people weekly all year round. It distributes about 30 million pounds of food and grocery products annually.

AP-ES-11-22-07 1641EST

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