DOTHAN: For many families across the Wiregrass, the holidays carry a quiet worry: will there be enough food on the table? Next week, our community has a chance to answer that question together.
The annual Stuff the Semi event for the Wiregrass Area Food Bank will take place Tuesday, November 17, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the McDonald’s at 3520 Ross Clark Circle, across from the Home Depot in Dothan.
All day long, neighbors are invited to stop by and help fill a semi-truck with canned, dried, and boxed goods, along with turkeys. Every item dropped off is a meal for someone who may otherwise go without.
Last year’s drive showed just how much this community cares. The 2025 event brought in more than 2,200 pounds of food and $860, adding up to 9,202 meals for Wiregrass families.
The donations go to the Wiregrass Area Food Bank, which serves families in Houston, Henry, Dale, Geneva, Barbour, and Coffee counties. The food bank supplies 150 non-profit agencies and local churches, who then place that food directly into the hands of people who need it.
“We’re excited to be partnering once again with Murphy Family Restaurants to feed families throughout the Wiregrass,” said Julie Gonzalez, CEO of the Wiregrass Area Food Bank. “Their support is critical in helping the Food Bank put meals on Thanksgiving tables this year.”
The need is growing. Gonzalez shared that Feeding America’s latest Map the Meal Gap study, which measures how well food banks are addressing hunger across the country, shows that the share of people the food bank serves in the area has risen from 17% to 20%. “That means one in five people in the Wiregrass is facing hunger, which could be a neighbor, a coworker, or a classmate’s family.” Gonzalez said.
If you can’t make it to the event, you can still help by donating online at Wiregrassfoodbank.com.
The food bank also welcomes volunteers year-round. To lend a hand, visit the website or call 334-794-9775.
This Thanksgiving, a few cans, a box of stuffing, or a turkey can mean a family gathers around a full table. Come out on November 17 and be part of that.
