New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie Joined Lowe's Employees To Help Distribute Free Thanksgiving Dinners At Lowe's Of Toms River, N.J., On Wednesday. (Photo: Business Wire)

After providing critically needed supplies the past three weeks to help local communities caught in the destructive path of Hurricane Sandy, Lowe’s stores took time out this afternoon to help fill another critical need. Lowe’s distributed more than 22,000 free family-style Thanksgiving dinners to residents of the hardest-hit communities in New York and New Jersey.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie joined Lowe's employees to help distribute free Thanksgiving dinners at Lowe's of Toms River, N.J., on Wednesday. (Photo: Business Wire)

Lowe’s employee volunteers helped hand out the traditional holiday meals at 35 Lowe’s stores in the most impacted communities. The teams at each location distributed 500 Boston Market heat-and-serve meals to local families. All Lowe’s employee at those stores also received a free meal as a thank-you for their dedicated efforts to help their communities prepare for and recover from the storm.

“I recently had the opportunity to tour the area and see firsthand the tremendous loss suffered by so many families, including many of our own employees,” said Robert A. Niblock, Lowe’s chairman, president and CEO. “We’re doing everything we can to help these communities get back on their feet, and food is still a critical need for so many people. We hope these meals can bring a moment of comfort for families who are enduring so many difficulties this holiday season.”

The fully cooked meals were distributed to residents on a first-come, first-served basis. Each meal included fresh roasted turkey or ham, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet corn and rolls. Table Talk Pies of Worcester, Mass., donated more than 43,000 pies to be included in meals, and C.H. Robinson Worldwide provided transportation assistance. With each meal serving up to six, Lowe’s provided enough Thanksgiving dinners to feed for more than 136,000 people in New York and New Jersey.

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and his family helped distribute dinners at Lowe’s of Toms River, N.J., and members of his administration also volunteered to pass out meals at 20 Lowe’s stores throughout the state. New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo also expressed his appreciation for Lowe’s immediate and long-term support as families continue to recover.

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