The Turkey Fry Guys are back again and set a new record at the Gingerbread House

A group of Shreveporters are using their talents and resources to provide a brighter future for their community, one Türkiye at a time.

On Saturday, November 24, the Turkey Fry Guys hosted their annual turkey fry event. This event is special because it not only supports a local non-profit organization, but also provides turkeys to those in need.

“With the number of turkeys we fry this year, we could actually feed over 7,000 people in the community,” said Turkey Fry Guys Founder/House of Carpets Owner Mark Harrison.

Turkey Fry Guys’ mission is to sell and distribute mouth-watering turkeys while raising funds for Gingerbread House, a child abuse advocacy center in Shreveport.

Turkey Fry Guys’ goal is for local nonprofits to purchase a turkey and then donate it to someone in need. This year, 1,300 turkeys were returned to the community, according to Gingerbread House CEO Jessica Miller.

“These turkeys help a lot of people in our community, other nonprofits, and just other people who are going through a hard time,” said Turkey Fry Guys founder Corey Craft.

Turkey Fry Guys started after COVID in 2022 when Craft saw friends and family doing similar fry events in other states.

In 2022, Turkey Fry Guys roasted 500 turkeys, and last year that number increased to 1,500, with the Gingerbread House being the primary recipient of the proceeds.

The Gingerbread House is a community-based, nonprofit organization that works with law enforcement, child protective services, district attorneys’ offices, and medical and mental health professionals to investigate, prosecute, and treat cases of child sexual abuse and serious physical abuse.

“The Gingerbread House serves more than 900 child abuse victims each year,” Miller said. “Without the support of Turkey Fry Guys, due to the federal and state cuts we received, we would have had to turn people away.”

The Gingerbread House serves nine different neighborhoods in northern Louisiana. Every victim who enters the Gingerbread House receives an initial forensic interview and free counseling for as long as needed.

Craft and Harrison are looking forward to next year and are excited to see where Turkey Fry Guys goes. “Our goal is to continue to spread the word about what the Gingerbread House does,” Craft said.

More: Turkey Fry Guys donates $150,000 to Shreveport children’s rights center The Gingerbread House

This article first appeared in the Shreveport Times: Turkey Fry Guys hosted its annual fundraiser on Saturday