North Las Vegas residents receive Thanksgiving lift from Rosie’s Wish

Nicole Canales grappled with a laundry basket loaded with a turkey, stuffing, canned vegetables and dessert.

The food, she said, will help feed her seven children on Thanksgiving Day next week.

“It’s very thoughtful and it’s very helpful,” said Canales, a North Las Vegas resident. “I feel like we’re very blessed to be helped by so many people.”

Food-filled baskets were distributed to more than 100 families Tuesday during the fifth annual “Help Us, Help Them Thanksgiving Celebration,” hosted by Rosie’s Wish, a North Las Vegas nonprofit agency that assists low-income children and teens with type-2 diabetes.

Lorenzo Reed, chairman of Rosie’s Wish, said he started the event because “we always empower each other.”

The edible donations were provided by Southern Nevada Toyota Dealers Association and North Las Vegas City Councilwoman Pamela Goynes-Brown, who organized a food drive to collect items that were placed in the baskets.

“It’s just an inspiration to see another Thanksgiving food drive this year,” said Goynes-Brown, whose Ward 2 includes the Rosie’s Wish office on Cheyenne Avenue.

The turkeys and trimmings were unloaded from the bed of a red pickup truck parked in front of Rosie’s Wish headquarters on Cheyenne Avenue.

“It’s going to help all of us,” said Diane Dabney, a North Las Vegas mother of nine children.

“I think it’s a good thing that they come around once a year to help families that are in need,” Dabney said. “I really appreciate it because I’m always trying hard to get enough food to feed my kids and family.”

Contact Art Marroquin at amarroquin@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0336. Follow @AMarroquin_LV on Twitter.