TAFT, Calif. -- Several groups joined forces Wednesday to provide food for needy families who could go hungry on Thanksgiving.

The Taft chapters of the Rotary Club, Kiwanis International, the Lions and Soroptimist International are teaming up with the Taft Community Resource Center to feed those less fortunate with Thanksgiving food baskets.

A record number of people could be looking to the resource center to provide a hearty meal this Thanksgiving, according to Sandy Koenig with the resource center.

In addition to the hundreds of cans of food collected at a luncheon held Wednesday afternoon at the Historic Fort, the Rotarians donated $1,100 to the cause, Ray Hatch, Rotary's chapter president, said.

The resource center is also getting help from Aera Energy and Taft Chevrolet to help feed the hungry in Taft.

There were concerns the food baskets would be limited to senior citizens and low-income families with children, but thanks to the community's generosity, the center should be able to provide a basket to families who need one, Koenig said.

If you would like to help, you can call the Taft Community Resource Center at 765-7281.