Daniel Jordan 
Want to Help a Family This Thanksgiving? Here’s the Easiest Way to Do It.
(CLAIR | Simi Valley, CA) — Thanksgiving means different things to different people — family, food, football, maybe a little chaos in the kitchen. But at its core, it’s about gratitude. And in Simi Valley, gratitude has always come with action.
That’s what makes the Pinnacle Turkey Drive special. It’s not just a fundraiser — it’s a reminder of what Thanksgiving was always meant to be: a shared table.
Over 25 years ago, Alex Gandel started the drive with groceries for ten families. It was simple. A few friends, a few boxes, a few quiet deliveries. Since then, that small act has grown into one of Ventura County’s longest-running holiday traditions, now serving thousands of families from Simi Valley to Port Hueneme.
Each family receives the same meal — turkey, vegetables, rolls, stuffing, and soup — the kind of dinner many of us take for granted but some might only dream of.
“You don’t realize how powerful it is to hand someone a box of food until you see the relief on their face,” Gandel said. “That’s what keeps this going year after year.”
The Season of Plenty — and Pressure
Thanksgiving has always been a paradox: abundance on one side, anxiety on the other. Across Ventura County, the cost of a traditional holiday meal has risen over 20% in the last three years. A frozen turkey that once cost $15 can now top $30. Add side dishes, rolls, and dessert, and even a modest dinner stretches the budgets of working families.
According to Food Share Ventura County, requests for food assistance have increased again this fall. Many families are working, but rising rents and grocery costs mean the holiday table often comes last.
That’s why this drive resonates so deeply. For a $35 donation, donors can provide a full Thanksgiving meal — not an abstract contribution, but a tangible moment of relief for a family that might otherwise go without.
Simi Valley’s Giving Tradition
In a city built on neighborliness, the Turkey Drive feels right at home. Simi Valley’s roots run deep in community giving — from school food drives and church pantries to citywide volunteer days.
Every November, Pinnacle’s Cochran Street office transforms into something between a warehouse and a family reunion. Parents pack boxes beside their kids. Realtors and retirees work side by side. High school students take time off to hand out the meals.
And by Thanksgiving week, 2,500 households — including 750 military families at the Seabee Base — will sit down to a meal they didn’t have to worry about.
More Than a Meal
Thanksgiving has always been more than a holiday. It’s a ritual that brings people back to gratitude — to the idea that we are responsible for one another.
In a year when many families are stretched thin, the Pinnacle Turkey Drive stands as proof that generosity still defines Simi Valley. The city may have grown, but its heart hasn’t changed.
And maybe that’s the point. Thanksgiving isn’t about having the perfect meal. It’s about making sure everyone has one.
How to Help:
– Donate online at PinnacleTurkeyDrive.com
– Venmo: @PinnacleTurkeyDrive
– Drop off or mail to: 1855 E. Cochran St. #104, Simi Valley, CA 93065
– Donation deadline: Friday, November 21, 2025
– Distribution Day: Monday, November 24, 2025, 9 a.m.
For more information, contact Alex Gandel at (805) 522-6788.
Thanksgiving began as a celebration of shared harvest — a moment to stop, reflect, and give thanks. In Simi Valley, that spirit still lives on.
Every turkey, every box, every smile is a reminder: gratitude grows best when it’s shared.
