In Oakland, California, a tractor-trailer carrying up to 30,000 pounds of Butterball turkeys capsized, spilling the frozen birds all over the road.
Even though the turkeys were held captive in cardboard boxes, state health regulations prevent them from being sold. The scratch-n-dent poultry is instead going to be routed to the Alameda County Food Bank in Oakland and several shelters in Contra Costa, California.
“This is a fantastic windfall as our Food Bank heads into one of the busiest times of year,” Alameda County Food Bank spokesman Michael Altfest said. “Receiving this volume of meat protein is rare for us any time of year – and a donation like this simply couldn’t come at a better time. This is going to add a significant helping of holiday joy to thousands of households throughout our community.”
“Unfortunately an accident happened, and fortunately low-income people in both Alameda County and Contra Costa County are going to benefit,” said Suzan Bateson, executive director of the Alameda County Community Food Bank. “We’re going to take this donation – it’s about nine pallets of holiday birds – and half are going to stay in Alameda County at the Alameda County Community Food Bank and we’re going to send half to our sister food bank, the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano counties.”
Following the incident, WKRP General Manager Arthur Carlson released the following statement: “As God as my witness, I though turkeys could drive.”
