From Ten Families to Thousands: Pinnacle’s 2025 Thanksgiving Turkey Drive Is Happening Now

Your $35 Donation Could Help A Family In Need This Thanksgiving

(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — In Simi Valley, the countdown to Thanksgiving isn’t just about turkey, football, and family gatherings. It’s also a time when the community comes together for the annual Turkey Drive Powered by Pinnacle Estate Properties. The drive was started nearly 25 years ago by local resident Alex Gandel, who still serves as its chairperson today.

The Turkey Drive began in 2000 with a modest start: groceries for just ten families. A handful of volunteers and donors pulled it together with a simple goal — to make sure at least a few households didn’t go without a Thanksgiving meal.

The program has since grown into one of Ventura County’s most enduring traditions. Over the years, that local effort has grown into a countywide campaign that has provided groceries for more than 354,000 people. And even as the program now serves families from Moorpark to the Conejo Valley and at the Seabee Base in Port Hueneme, its roots remain firmly planted in Simi Valley.

Feeding Families in 2025
This year’s goal is to provide groceries to 2,500 households. Of those, 750 will be delivered to service members and their families at the Seabee Base, while the rest will be shared across Simi Valley and neighboring communities.

Each family receives the same package of food: a 12-14 pound turkey, potatoes, vegetables, cream of mushroom soup, stuffing, and dinner rolls. Families are selected through Food Share Ventura County, so donations reach households that truly need the support.

“Food Share is delighted to be part of Pinnacle Estate Properties’ annual turkey drive,” said Susan Haverland, Chief Operating Officer of Food Share Ventura County. “Thanks to the generosity of Pinnacle’s Westlake Village office, up to 1,000 families in the Conejo Valley will enjoy turkey dinners on Thanksgiving.”

Simi Valley at the Heart
While the drive now spans Ventura County, Simi Valley remains its home base. Pinnacle’s Simi Valley office serves as one of the main staging grounds for distribution. Volunteers from across the city — families, local businesses, and students — gather to help pack, sort, and deliver groceries.

For the program’s founder, Alex Gandel, who lives and works in Simi Valley, the growth of the event reflects the city’s spirit.

“I am beyond humbled by the support and caring that the Turkey Drive has created over the years,” said Gandel, chairperson of the drive. “What began as a simple idea with 10 families has turned into a program that literally thousands of people count on each year. Without the help of everyone involved, we could not do what we do. What greater feeling is there than providing a meal for someone that you don’t even know?”

Powered by Small Gifts
The drive is made possible by small donations from residents. For $35, a donor can provide groceries for a family of ten. And unlike most fundraising efforts, every dollar raised goes directly to food. Pinnacle covers all marketing, printing, and logistics separately.

“My partners at Pinnacle and I are very honored to be a part of such an amazing event,” said Dana Potter, President of Pinnacle Estate Properties. “To live in America and not be able to have a hot meal on Thanksgiving just doesn’t seem right. … We are so excited to see the community come together and support each other in a time of need.”

Key Dates in 2025

• Donation deadline: Friday, November 21, 2025
• Food distribution: Monday, November 24, 2025, starting at 9 a.m. from Pinnacle’s Simi Valley and Westlake Village offices

Ways to donate:

• Online: www.PinnacleTurkeyDrive.com
• Venmo: @PinnacleTurkeyDrive
• Check: Payable to Pinnacle Estate Properties Charity (501(c)(3))
• Mail or drop off at:
  1855 E. Cochran St. #104
  Simi Valley, CA 93065

For more information, contact Alex Gandel at (805) 522-6788.