GOODYEAR — As many prep for Thanksgiving this coming week, a business is working to make sure its Valley educators know they’re appreciated, giving them a little bit of help to take a little stress off their shoulders.
For the fourth year in a row, Bay Equity Home Loans held its Turkeys for Teachers event in Goodyear. This year, they gave out 1,000 turkeys, as well as potatoes and broccoli with the help of 30 different community partners.
“One of the gals pulled me aside today and said, ‘This is the fourth year you’ve fed my family.’ And, that kind of hit me a little bit. I was like man, it gives me goosebumps,” said Kevin Grampp, the vice president of community engagement for Bay Equity Home Loans.
Grampp started this grassroots movement to help their West Valley educators, telling ABC15 he feels those in the education industry are being asked to do more.
“Quite frankly, I don’t think they’re compensated nearly the way they need to be. For us, it’s a good opportunity for us to step up and lead by example and give back to them,” he said. “It’s created kind of a family atmosphere in the community, and I really enjoy it.”
For Iman Isom, an educator in the Phoenix Union High School District, she said it’s nice to feel appreciated. It was her first time coming out to the event, not knowing it had existed years prior.
“It goes a long way. For us to get a turkey and to feed our families, after everything that we have to do, we have to put our time aside, and I coach, too,” she continued. “There’s 12-hour days every day and so honestly, coming here and just being able to be taken care of when we’re the ones always taking care of people, it’s a good feeling, and that’s all you need sometimes.”
Danielle Troy, an educator in the Litchfield Elementary School District, has come out every year since Grampp helped start the event. She echoes Isom’s sentiment of being cared for, especially as prices for food and other goods remain high.
“This is really amazing because turkeys are getting more expensive. If I have that guaranteed, ‘Oh, I can save some money and I could put that money towards maybe doing something else for my family this year,’ that’s always so important,” Troy said.
Already, Grampp said they’re thinking about next year and hope to help even more people in the community.