Darien Restaurant Cooks Up Thanksgiving Turkeys For Needy Families

DARIEN, Conn. -- For the past 15 years, Sal and JoAnn Latorraca have helped Stamford’s less fortunate enjoy Thanksgiving. The owners of The Water’s Edge at Giovannis will again cook turkeys this year to be distributed by The First Congregational of Stamford.

JoAnn Latorraca, left, and her husband, Sal, of The Water's Edge at Giovannis made Thanksgiving food to First Congregational Church in Stamford with their son, Jesse, and a store employee, Konnie.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

Some of the turkeys cooked at The Water's Edge at Giovannis in Darien for the First Congregational Church of Stamford.
Photo Credit: *Contributed*

Volunteers at First Congregational Church of Stamford served dinner last year, including turkeys cooked at The Water's Edge at Giovannis in Darien.
Photo Credit: *Facebook/First Congregational Church of Stamford*

Tom Renner

Content Partner: The Water's Edge at Giovanni's

“It just makes you feel good that you’re helping out,’’ JoAnn said. “We started doing it with our kids. We wanted to show them that there is more than going to football games and having a big meal on Thanksgiving. There are people less fortunate. A lot of times our children were in the kitchen helping us prepare the food.”

“Thanksgiving for our family is about GIVING back to our community. There are a lot of people in our own neighborhood that are less fortunate. This is our way of helping out.” -- JoAnn Latorraca

Sal, the chef at The Water’s Edge, cooks about 40-50 turkeys each year. The birds are carved up and put into chafing dishes, and then picked up on Wednesday by parishioners of First Congregational Church. Church members then distribute them to area families.

“We didn’t always do the cooking,’’ JoAnn said. “For a few years we helped out at a homeless shelter and we would cut up the turkeys and serve them.”

Since the Latorracas have started the tradition, their children have grown and some are away at college. Still, they return to help their parents and help put a Thanksgiving turkey on the table of a needy family.

“Thanksgiving for our family is about GIVING back to our community,’’ JoAnn said. “There are a lot of people in our own neighborhood that are less fortunate. This is our way of helping out.”

The Water’s Edge at Giovanni’s is closed on Thanksgiving, but will offer turkey dinners with side dishes for pickup on Wednesday. Click here to visit the restaurant’s website or call them at 203-325-9979 for more information.