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Since 1992, the Kansas City Chiefs have held the annual holiday tradition of a food distribution effort during Thanksgiving week.
Chiefs legend Derrick Thomas was one of the initial founders of the program, which continued with the 2016 class of rookies outside Arrowhead Stadium on Tuesday afternoon.
"Combining with Betty Brown and everybody at Third and Long gives us the opportunity to carry on the legacy of Derrick and everything that he started here," Chiefs president Mark Donovan said. "It gives our rookies a chance to see what it means to be a Chief and the responsibility that you take on being a Chief - that you give back to this community."
Chris Jones, the Chiefs' second-round pick in 2016, relished the opportunity to help.
"This is a great opportunity to get the people that don't have enough food this year some groceries and some food so they can have a Thanksgiving like I've been having," Jones said. "I was fortunate to be put in a great situation with great individuals that were led by legends in this community. Just to be a part of that is a blessing."
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Kansas City Chiefs President Mark Donovan and members of the Chiefs Rookie Club joined together with the Derrick Thomas/Neil Smith Third and Long Foundation to distribute holiday meal items for over 30 area relief groups.
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In 2016, the food distribution initiative is expected to provide nearly 1,500 households in the Kansas City community with their Thanksgiving meals.
"This is one of our favorite events of the year—Thanksgiving week—to be able to give back to the community and really combine with Third and Long, the Red Coaters and the Hunt Family Foundation," Chiefs president Mark Donovan explained. "It's a tradition, but it fits with one of the real core principles and issues that we try to address with the Hunt Family Foundation and that's hunger relief in this community."
During the past two seasons alone, Chiefs hunger relief programming has been responsible in providing nearly 475,000 meals throughout the Kansas City area.
