By Taylor Boyd
As part of her office’s community outreach initiative, Henry County Commissioner of the Revenue Tiffany Hairston will hold a Thanksgiving Meal in a Bag Drive-Thru on Saturday, Nov. 22.
The event will start at 2 p.m. at Fieldale-Collinsville Middle School.
Since being elected commissioner in 2023, Hairston said her office has regularly set up at local events to distribute informational pamphlets and answer questions from the community. The office also uses Facebook to keep county residents informed about what’s happening throughout the county.
The Thanksgiving meal “is just another thing that we want to do. That’s part of the commissioner outreach initiative that we started to just do things for the community,” she said. “It just happened to fall at a time when the government shut down and stuff, because we’ve been taking these bags and donations in probably for over a month, a month and a half now.”
While she originally thought of the idea a couple of years ago, this is the first year Hairston has been able to implement it.
Because many people and organizations distribute turkeys this time of year, Hairston decided to focus on the sides that go with a traditional Thanksgiving meal.
“Then, my mom had a good idea to put canned ham or canned turkey in it as well,” she said.
Each bag will include stuffing, cornbread mix, a gravy packet, instant potatoes, a vegetable, and a 16-ounce can of either cooked ham or roasted turkey.
“It should be enough to feed a family of four. You just come through” the line at the event, “it’s just one bag per car — and there’s no qualifications for it or anything. Get in line and get the bag while supplies last,” Hairston said.
She estimates that a little over 400 bags will be given out during the event.
“I didn’t think we would get that many, especially the first year, but it’s been great. We’ve had a lot of donations and people wanting to volunteer and just be part of it, so that’s just been really great to see the support that we’ve gotten from our community,” she said.
Each meal kit bag will also include a paper listing everyone who donated to recognize those who helped with the project.
Hairston and other volunteers will pack the meal bags on Friday, Nov. 21, at Mt. Hermon Church of the Brethren in Bassett.
As long as there’s community interest, Hairston said she plans to hold the event annually.
While she hasn’t officially started seeking donations for next year’s event, donations are accepted year-round.
Checks made out to the Commissioner’s Community Outreach Initiative can be sent to P.O. Box 1192, Bassett, VA 24055. Donations can also be made via Cash App to “Commissioner Outreach.”
Hairston said this is her office’s last outreach initiative project for 2025.
“The notices and stuff will be out in January, so we’ll be back out throughout the community passing along information and pamphlets like we always do, especially about the general reassessment, because everyone will get their notices at the first of January,” she said.
For more information, visit Facebook.com/TiffanyReneeHairstonHenryCountyCommissioneroftheRevenue.
