It didn’t matter that just a few months ago, United States Navy SEAL Anthony Alessi, 29, was deployed overseas, fighting for America and the free world. Or that he wasn’t working high atop some Fortune 500 company raking in big bucks, living on a fat salary. Which, with his skills and acumen, he could most certainly do. No. The elite military operator had a promise to keep, and he was going to keep it.

So, he got out his checkbook, and wrote one out to the Monument Crisis Center in Concord, California. One-thousand dollars. To buy Thanksgiving turkeys for the less fortunate, to be handed out at the facility.

“It was important for me to give back in a way that could help the community.”

The undertaking was forged in 2015, the same time of year, when Alessi and his wife Kimberly went down to the center to volunteer and were informed that there would be no turkeys to give out — the nonprofit’s fund had been stretched too thin.

The SEAL simply wasn’t going to see it happen again.

And it didn’t.

This from the East Bay Times:

On Monday, the Alessis joined a group of about 50 volunteers who distributed 1,000 turkeys plus trimmings, including cranberry sauce, stuffing and mashed potatoes to a diverse group of seniors and low-income families. The center spent more than $10,000 on the turkeys.

“I’m really glad to be a part of it and this is something that means a lot,” Alessi said.

Every month, the Monument Crisis Center gives away an average of 1,500 boxes of fresh produce and pantry staples, according to executive director Sandra Scherer. In November, the nonprofit includes a bonus bird for the holiday feast.

“It’s something we try to do because it gives people a sense of normalcy,” Scherer said. “Everybody thinks about the holidays and wanting to celebrate them and even if you can’t celebrate them in the grand style you want, you can still have a simple meal with your family.”

Alessi’s vow seemed to be contagious, because he was joined by other groups in the community in donating. Even the local supermarket, Las Montañas, got involved and contributed 250 turkeys, no strings attached.

The heartwarming show of philanthropy is sure to not only brighten up a lot of the area residents’ dinner tables, but also their finances for months to come. One disabled Pleasant Hill citizen, Lyndell Clifton — who lives on a fixed income — said that digging deep for the small turkey last year set her budget back through the new year.

“I didn’t have a good Christmas because of it.”

Another recipient of the donations, Diane Gordon, plans on to host some friends for a wonderful Thanksgiving evening, all thanks to a community taking a SEAL’s generous lead.

“Turkeys are expensive in the stores right now … so every dollar helps.”

The center estimates that about 1,000 pre-registered low-income families and seniors will receive turkeys through the drive.