About 850 families received turkeys and boxes with all of the trimmings at Huntsville’s Downtown Rescue Mission on Evangel Drive on Monday and Tuesday. In addition to a turkey, each box contained mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, corn, yams, cranberry, mac-n-cheese and rolls, serving four to six people. Only one box per family was permitted. Overholt said about 250 volunteers were involved in the effort. About 20 of them were passing out boxes and turkeys on Tuesday morning. The demand for meals was higher this year because area residents were furloughed and SNAP benefits delayed because of the federal government shutdown, mission public relations coordinator Ashleigh Hayes said. While the free turkey meal distribution ended Thursday, the Downtown Rescue Mission is not done providing free Thanksgiving meals. The mission is hosting Thanksgiving banquets Wednesday and Thursday at 11 a.m. Reporting by Scott Turner #huntsvillealabama #downtownrescuemission #turkeydrive #fooddrive ...