WASHINGTON, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- Hundreds of people left empty-handed after a church in Washington ran out of free Thanksgiving turkeys, planners of the giveaway say.
Brenda Richardson, who coordinated the event at Union Temple Baptist Church, says many people were turned away because they could not prove they were residents of Ward 8, The Washington Post reported Wednesday.
"People were supposed to sign up, and if there were turkeys left, then we would give them to other district residents, but all of the turkeys were spoken for," Richardson said.
Linda Jackson left the church with only a crumpled piece of paper reading "Council member Marion Barry's Ward 8 Turkey Giveaway."
"They made a promise that they couldn't keep," Jackson said.
Barry, who raised $20,000 to buy the turkeys for the giveaway, called it "a sad commentary that people have to wait in line" for food in "the richest nation in the world."
