Mountaire’s Thanksgiving for Thousands event held in Sussex County

Mountaire Farms, a leading poultry company, continued its cherished tradition of giving back to the community with its annual Thanksgiving for Thousands event, held Nov. 23, in Sussex County. The initiative brought together hundreds of volunteers who packed and distributed meal boxes at the Mountaire location on Hosier Street in Selbyville. Each box included a whole chicken, canned goods, stuffing mix and brownie mix, providing all the essentials for a complete Thanksgiving feast. The company aimed to reach more than 14,500 families across the Delmarva region, highlighting its commitment to fighting food insecurity and fostering community spirit.

The event, which began 30 years ago, has become a hallmark of the holiday season in Delaware and was marked by tributes from the Delaware Senate and House of Representatives. In addition, special recognition was given to Roger Marino, who has been part of Mountaire for 35 years and of this event since its inception.

“This event started 30 years ago with Roger Marino as the communications manager. He saw a need when a local church reached out to him and said, ‘We need help reaching out to the less fortunate.’ Roger stepped up and said, ‘Hey, we do poultry; let’s figure something out.’ It’s been that way ever since.” said J.R. LaPearl, director of Mountaire Cares, the charitable giving arm of Mountaire Farms.