Local business assembles the Turkey Brigade

Cottonwood Properties package and deliver holiday meals to 20 local families

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
November 24, 2020

Employees with Black Mountain-based Cottonwood Properties package Thanksgiving meals for 20 local families. Photo by Fred McCormick

While many offices around the Swannanoa Valley were preparing for a long holiday weekend on Nov. 24, one local business was on a mission to feed families.

Cottonwood Properties, a Black Mountain real estate and property management firm, assembled its fourth annual Turkey Brigade to deliver 20 Thanksgiving meals in Black Mountain, Swannanoa, Asheville and Old Fort. 

The company launched the initiative in 2016 when owner Eddie Colley and his wife Jessica, a buyer’s agent with Cottonwood began having a conversation in the office about addressing needs in the community. 

“It was around this time of year,” Eddie said. “We had participated in similar food drives with our church in the past, and we thought we could partner with our clients and help local families for the holidays.”

Each year, Cottonwood Properties emails past clients details about the fundraiser and information on how they can contribute. The money that is raised buys the turkeys, stuffing, yams and other items that fill each box. The packages included recipes for traditional Thanksgiving dishes.

Eddie and Jessica Colley label boxes of food that will be distributed to local families for Thanksgiving. Photo by Fred McCormick

“We spend the weeks prior to Thanksgiving going to the grocery store to purchase everything we need,” Eddie said. “This year, we partnered with Bounty & Soul and they contributed some fresh produce.”

Bounty & Soul provided names of families who needed assistance for the holiday and Cottonwood reached out to arrange for delivery. The Turkey Brigade is serving five more households this year than it did in 2019. 

The Turkey Brigade from Cottonwood Properties prepares to deliver Thanksgiving meals to local families for the fourth year. Photo by Fred McCormick

Eddie, Jessica and the Cottonwood team donned festive turkey hats as they met at the Colleys’ home early Tuesday morning to package the meals. The group planned to spend most of the day delivering them to awaiting families. 

“It’s always great to give back,” Eddie said. “Our community and God have blessed our business, and we do this out of gratitude. What’s the purpose in creating a successful business if you’re not impacting lives?”

The team at Cottonwood Properties gathers for the fourth annual Turkey Brigade, an initiative to feed local families on Thanksgiving. Photo by Fred McCormick