A Thanksgiving Wish: Caleb’s First Turkey
Eight-year-old Caleb* had a very simple Thanksgiving wish.
He had seen pictures of perfectly cooked turkeys in movies and in storybooks—golden brown, steaming from the oven, resting on a big platter with greens tucked underneath and the drumsticks crossed. It looked magical.
But Caleb couldn’t ever remember tasting turkey. He’d never had the chance.
Growing up, food was never a guarantee. Most nights, Caleb ate plain noodles or tortilla chips. Sometimes, there wasn’t even enough for that. Hunger was something he knew well, and holidays were just another day to get through.
So when his teacher asked what Thanksgiving food he was most excited about, Caleb didn’t know what to say. He didn’t have an answer.
That changed when Caleb entered foster care through ABCH.
For the first time, he had a safe home—and a family who wanted to make Thanksgiving special. His foster parents, Josh* and Lindsay*, asked what he’d like most on the table that year. Without hesitation, Caleb answered, “A big turkey, like in the books!”
“We were just a family of three before Caleb,” Lindsay shared. “So we usually just picked up a ham or a chicken or something for Thanksgiving Day. Neither of us had ever tried to cook a whole turkey! But I told Josh* that this was his first Thanksgiving with us and so we had to make it special,” Lindsay shared.
A few days before Thanksgiving, Josh brought home a giant turkey from the grocery store and watched a video on how to cook it in the oven. When Caleb saw it out of the package, he told Josh, “I think you got the wrong one. It’s supposed to be brown.”
But on Thanksgiving Day, after checking on it every hour, Caleb finally saw the golden-brown turkey come from the oven—just like the ones in books. Josh and Lindsay even served it on a big platter surrounded by parsley, or as Caleb called it, “the green stuff.”
That day, Caleb ate until his belly was full. He especially loved the feeling of holding an entire turkey leg and trying to eat from it. He learned that he liked mashed potatoes, sweet potato casserole, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, and learned that he didn’t care for cranberry sauce. It wasn’t just a meal—it was a chance for him to experience belonging.
Your generosity makes moments like this possible. Each year, ABCH cares for more than 500 children who come from situations of loss, trauma, and sometimes even hunger. Many have never experienced a traditional holiday meal or the warmth of a family gathered around the table.
This Thanksgiving, you can help make sure more children like Caleb experience that same feeling of safety, fullness, and joy.
To make a Thanksgiving like this possible for other kids like Caleb, give here!