Thanksgiving Meals For Needy Mass. Families

Thousands of needy families are set to enjoy traditional Thanksgiving meals after a coalition of charity groups distributed packages in eight Massachusetts cities.

United Way of Massachusetts Bay and Merrimack Valley says Saturday's initiative benefited low-income families hit by rising costs of food. The group says the cost to provide one meal increased from about $35 last year to $40 this year.

The Thanksgiving food baskets include a turkey and aluminum pan, cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, corn muffin mix, cans of corn and mixed vegetables, beans, rice, onions and potatoes.

At the project's largest site in the Boston neighborhood of Dorchester, Roman Catholic Cardinal Sean O'Malley joined volunteers to distribute nearly 1,500 meals.

Communities that benefited from the project include those in Boston, Somerville, Lowell, Lawrence, Lynn, Weymouth, Quincy and Randolph.