Monday was a day for counting one's blessings in Northern California.

Spurred by concerns about empty Thanksgiving tables, residents of the region responded over the weekend with volunteerism, money, and thousands of holiday turkeys.

"Last week we had zero turkeys in the freezer. Now we have 650, and they're still coming in," said Leona Jull, executive director of the Yolo Wayfarer Center in Woodland. So were cash donations. "It's like a Thanksgiving miracle," Jull said.

In a shaky economic year, contributions to most charities are down, noted Volunteers of America spokesman Barry Wisdom. But after news stories about an unprecedented need for Thanksgiving food donations, the response was overwhelming.

"A turkey is something that most people felt they could donate,"Wisdom said, "and it's very meaningful to someone who otherwise wouldn't have a Thanksgiving meal."

VOA had only 75 birds on hand late Friday, but saw nearly 700 come in over the weekend. The turkeys will be used to feed people served by the Salvation Army, the Senior Safehouse and other programs.

In a dramatic illustration of the weak economy, on Monday morning people bundled up against the cold and began lining up in the wee hours at Sacramento Food Bank and Family Services in Oak Park to receive a Thanksgiving food box. The food bank's annual "turkey drive" on Friday yielded a record 6,600 birds, and none will go to waste, officials said.

Demand for the food bank's services shot up 35 percent this year, said president Blake Young. But generosity apparently is up, too.

"So many people got up off the couch, got in the cars, bought turkeys and brought them over here," said the food bank's Genevieve Deignan, who wore a turkey costume as she monitored the lines Monday."The community gave all of this to us. It's so great to be a part of it."

People came on foot and on bicycles, pushing strollers and wheelchairs, to claim boxes that included a frozen turkey, fresh sweet potatoes, onions, apples and other goods. Volunteers kept the lines orderly, and they reported only a few isolated spats over places in the queue.

Noel Jackson, 24, was happy to wait for more than two hours to claim his box.

"We're in desperate times," said Jackson. "My family lives in low-income housing. I work retail, and my hours have been cut. So this is great. Every little bit helps."

Loaves & Fishes, which provides a variety of services to homeless men, women and children, expects to serve at least 1,000 guests at its Thanksgiving meal today. The agency appealed for cooked, sliced turkeys last week, and got more than it asked for over the weekend, said executive director Sister Libby Fernandez.

"I love life," Fernandez gushed Monday. "We had such an abundance of giving that on Wednesday we will be giving out turkeys to other nonprofits that need them.

"We were panicking, because we know the economy is bad. But the miracle definitely happened."

Ramon Silvestre, 44, of West Sacramento, certainly did his part. After reading a Bee story about the need for turkeys and other goods, he mobilized three others and went on a shopping mission.

Silvestre, who said he works for Oracle and operates a care home for the elderly, had a good year and wanted to share his bounty. He spent about $2,000 procuring turkeys, pies, hot chocolate packets, apple juice and other items requested by Loaves and other charities. Then, with the help of three others, he delivered the goods to the agencies. Silvestre sent e-mails to friends and family members, urging them to do the same.

"When I saw the article, it really touched me," he said. "I have been there. I know what it's like being at the bottom. It broke my heart to know that families are struggling, especially during the holidays."

Silvestre said his efforts will make his own family's Thanksgiving a little bit more joyful. "When I'm eating my dinner that day, I can feel good knowing that a few more people will be having Thanksgiving, too," he said.

A few charities in the region still are scrambling to collect enough donations for their holiday festivities. At the First Church of the Nazarene in Roseville, contributions are down and demand is up this year, said volunteer Ted Shaw.

"A lot of people who helped us out last year have been laid off or furloughed," Shaw said. "Now a lot of them need help."

At least 500 people may show up for the church's holiday meal on Wednesday afternoon, Shaw said, but food supplies were limited as of Monday. The church needs turkeys, instant mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, canned yams and stuffing mix.

No one will be turned away, Shaw said.

"We'll have food for them, even if I have to pay for it myself," said Shaw, 65. "God has not let us down on feeding these people before, and he's not going to stop now."

Editor's Note: This story was changed Nov. 24 to correct that Genevieve Deignan represents the Sacramento Food Bank.

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