By Lynne Adkins

PENNSAUKEN, N.J. (CBS) – The Food Bank of South Jersey is holding a turkey drop off today until 3 p.m. at its Pennsauken headquarters to fill the holiday food basket.

The food bank needs 6,000 more turkeys to feed needy residents in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem Counties. Food Bank COO Joe Njoroge says the summer bird flu is one reason for the shortage:

“The ones that are available are higher priced than we would normally get them for, so we didn’t have quite as much buying power this year to be able to aquire more turkeys and also because of that the donations that would normally come in have slowed down.”

Njoroge says if the donations fall short, food bank officials will try to feed as many people as possible, but some family tables may remain empty:

“We’ll do all that we can. If we realize we are acoupe of days before thanksgiving and we don’t have enough for everybody, we’ll just have to limit the number of turkeys and try as much as we can and spread it around and some agencies won’t get as much as they’re expecting.”

Another turkey drop off event will take place next Saturday