TV icon Steve Harvey brings joy to struggling families by donating 7,000 turkeys on Thanksgiving

Steve Harvey is known for his wit, deadpan humor, and charm along with some memorable gaffes as a host. But there’s a lot more to him than brilliant comic timing. The 67-year-old is also a philanthropist and this is reflected in one of his yearly gestures, which is the turkey giveaway on Thanksgiving. To facilitate this, “The Steve Harvey Morning Show” partnered with Premiere Networks to give away 7000 turkeys to families in need in 2024.

“It’s an honor and a privilege for all of us here at The Steve Harvey Morning Show to help those in need. Happy Thanksgiving, and may God bless you all this holiday season,” Harvey told Barrett Media. The Annual Turkey Give is an annual event of the morning show that gives turkeys to radio affiliates nationwide.

The participants include several radio stations from big cities. These are New York (WBLS-FM), Chicago (WVAZ-FM), Philadelphia (WDAS-FM), Dallas (KRNB-FM), Atlanta (WAMJ-FM), Washington, D.C. (WHUR-FM), Seattle (KYIZ-AM), and Detroit (WMXD-FM). The stations have organized local giveaways to help unprivileged communities during the festive period with a traditional meal. It’s been more than a decade since the turkey giveaway event was launched and Harvey along with his partners has donated more than 100,000 turkeys.

It’s a noble gesture by the legendary television host but turkeys aren’t the only thing he donates. When there is someone in need, the 67-year-old doesn’t hesitate to help them in whichever way possible. He showed that on an episode of “Family Feud” by giving money out of his own pocket to a contestant. Harvey spoke about the incident on an episode of “Steve Harvey Uncut” on YouTube. The contestant had just won $20,000 on the show and fallen to his knees. He seemed quite emotional at the time and it took the host by surprise. It wasn’t a lot of money compared to what contestants hope to win on the show. “Finally, he won the $20,000, and he just fell on his knees, and he wouldn’t stop crying. I was talking to him after the show, and I said, ‘Hey man, you were pretty emotional about the $20,000,’” he said.

Narrating the truth that he then learned, Harvey continued, “He says, ‘Steve, I’m terminally ill. I’ve got 3 months to live, and because of my illness, I can’t get insurance. I need this money for my family.’” Turns out the man was on “Family Feud” just to make life for his family a little easier before his death. This was enough to move Harvey, who knew what it’s like to struggle financially.

As per Crosswalk, he gave the contestant $25,000 of his own money apart from the $20,000 that he had won. The moment touched the hearts of several viewers who made their feelings clear in the comments section. “Steve Harvey, you're a beautiful human being,” one user wrote. “What an amazing gesture of kindness and love. Thank you, Steve Harvey, for setting an example for all of us. God bless this man and his family,” another user remarked.