how to donate thanksgiving dinner

5 Ways to Donate a Thanksgiving Dinner to Someone in Need

• There With Care. There With Care is a Colorado-based organization that facilitates holiday meals for families of children in the hospital.
• Operation Turkey. A network of 30,000 volunteers makes sure everyone has a turkey on their table for Thanksgiving, regardless of their financial situation.
• Harvesters. ...
• Feed the Need. ...
• Soldiers' Angels. ...

Full Answer

How to give genuine thanks at Thanksgiving dinner?

Nov 22, 2021 · Donate a Thanksgiving meal to a veteran and their families through Soldiers' Angels. They host monthly food distributions for low-income, at-risk, and homeless veterans in Atlanta, Charleston, Denver, Detroit, Orlando, and San Antonio year-round, and the November distribution helps provide a Thanksgiving meal.

What gift should I bring to a Thanksgiving dinner?

Nov 22, 2021 · Donate a Thanksgiving meal to a veteran and their families through Soldiers’ Angels. They host monthly food distributions for low-income, at-risk, and homeless veterans in Atlanta, Charleston, Denver, Detroit, Orlando, and San Antonio year-round, and the November distribution helps provide a Thanksgiving meal.

How to save money on Thanksgiving dinner?

Nov 19, 2021 · The Ronald McDonald has two turkeys and is looking for more food for the day after Thanksgiving. Families can also donate comfort bags with non-perishable foods that will go to families sitting ...

How to donate food to a food bank this Thanksgiving?

Nov 05, 2020 · Stop by between November 1 and November 30 and McAlister’s Deli will donate 10 cents for every soup sold, with a minimum donation of $100K to Meals on Wheels. Guests can order online, via the ...

How do I give back this Thanksgiving?

5 ways to give back this ThanksgivingOrganize a drive. Find a local food bank or homeless shelter that needs food, clothing or other supplies. ... Run a Turkey Trot. ... Spend time with older adults. ... Volunteer at a local food bank. ... Enjoy time with friends and family.

How can we help the needy on Thanksgiving?

7 Ways to Give Back and Make an Impact on ThanksgivingDeliver meals to people in need. ... Run in a turkey trot. ... Serve dinner at a local soup kitchen or homeless shelter. ... Send care packages to troops. ... Donate to your local food bank. ... Visit local residents in need. ... Don't forget to help out within your own family, too.More items...•Oct 30, 2021

What do you put in a Thanksgiving food box?

When creating your basket, consider adding the following items:A box of mashed potatoes.A box of stuffing with gravy packets.One can of corn, yams, cranberries, and green beans.A pumpkin or apple pie.Bags of tea or apple cider packets.A carton of shelf-stable almond, rice, or soy milk.Canned soups.More items...•Nov 21, 2015

Can you ship a Thanksgiving dinner?

Fully cooked, easy to serve! All Thanksgiving meals and food gifts can be delivered nationwide. We send each meal, with the exception of the live lobsters, is shipped frozen.

Is Feeding America a good charity?

Charitable Ratings Charity Navigator has awarded Feeding America a four-star rating for ten consecutive evaluations. Only 3% of charities evaluated by Charity Navigator have received ten consecutive four-star evaluations.

What is in a Thanksgiving basket?

Items to Include in a Thanksgiving Basket1 Canned Ham.1-2 Boxes of Stuffing Mix.1 Box of Instant Potatoes.2 Box of Macaroni and Cheese.2 Canned Yams.Brown Sugar.1 Bag of Marshmallows.2 Canned Green Beans.More items...

What values or ideas can we learn from Thanksgiving?

But before you pull up to the table to enjoy your delicious Thanksgiving feast, consider the opportunities this day presents to teach children about the important values of Thanksgiving, such as thankfulness, gratitude, and family.Nov 11, 2021

What do you do on Thanksgiving?

20 Fun Activities to Do on Thanksgiving Day With Family1 Thanksgiving Bingo. Happiness Is Homemade. ... 2 Thanksgiving Coloring Pages. Thirty Handmade Days. ... 3 Craft a Family Tree. Philip Friedman/Studio D. ... 5 Thanksgiving Movie Marathon. skynesherGetty Images. ... 6 Turkey Tag. ... 7 Gratitude Game. ... 8 Harvest Bowling. ... 9 Gratitude A to Z.More items...•Nov 22, 2021

What is Thanksgiving celebration?

Thanksgiving Day, annual national holiday in the United States and Canada celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. Americans generally believe that their Thanksgiving is modeled on a 1621 harvest feast shared by the English colonists (Pilgrims) of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people.

What can you not donate to a food bank?

What can you donate to a food bank? The main thing to bear in mind is that whatever you give may be stored for some time before it goes to those who need it. Avoid things like fresh fruit and veg, fish, meat and dairy products as it might go bad and the food bank is unlikely to accept it.Oct 20, 2021

What should be in a needy food basket?

Items to Put in Food Baskets for the NeedyVegetables and Fruit. Canned vegetables are always welcome, both for holiday baskets and everyday donations. ... Meat and Protein. ... Grains and Pasta. ... Holiday Food and Treats.Dec 12, 2019

What do you put in a food box for a needy family?

They're the items food pantries—and your neighbors in need—can really put to good use.Applesauce. ... Canned Beans. ... Canned Chicken. ... Canned Fish (Tuna and Salmon) ... Canned Meat (SPAM and Ham) ... Canned Vegetables. ... Cooking Oils (Olive and Canola) ... Crackers.More items...•Jul 2, 2018

Does Amazon ship on Thanksgiving?

Does Amazon deliver packages on holidays? Amazon does not deliver on Thanksgiving or Christmas Day.Nov 10, 2020

How much is the HelloFresh Thanksgiving box?

HelloFresh Turkey Thanksgiving Box (8 to 10 Servings) To buy: from $170 ($17 per serving); hellofresh.com.Nov 2, 2021

How much turkey do I need for 8 adults?

For turkeys smaller than 16 pounds, estimate 1 pound per serving (this accounts for bone weight). For larger birds, a bit less is fine; they have a higher meat-to-bone ratio. But if your goal is to have ample leftovers, aim for 1½ pounds per person whatever the turkey's size. For 8 people, buy a 12-pound turkey.Nov 21, 2011

Where to donate food for Thanksgiving

The first step to donating a Thanksgiving meal to a family facing hunger is finding your local food bank. The Feeding America network includes 200 food banks throughout the United States that work with food pantries and soup kitchens to reach communities.

The items food banks want most during Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of the business times of the year for food banks. Healthy, non-perishable food is always great to donate to a food bank but is in even higher demand around the holidays. While you’re grocery shopping or collecting for your Thanksgiving food drive, look for items such as:

What to avoid donating for Thanksgiving

Because food banks need to maintain high safety standards, you should not plan to donate a Thanksgiving turkey or donate leftovers from your holiday meal to food banks.

How to do even more to give back this holiday season

Still feeling inspired to continue helping families? Here is how you can continue to make an impact in your community during Thanksgiving. • Join our virtual Thanksgiving food drive • Volunteer at a food bank • Become a monthly donor

Alabama: Food Bank of East Alabama

The Food Bank of East Alabama's popular Plant-A-Row for the Hungry campaign was launched in 1995. It encourages local farmers and gardeners to plant an extra row of crops and to donate the surplus harvest from that row to the food bank. Another creative way to give to this Auburn-based organization is by donating stocks, bonds and mutual funds.

Alaska: Fairbanks Community Food Bank

Every year, the Fairbanks Community Food Bank relies on 18,000 volunteer hours to provide over 2 million pounds of food to the community. It estimates that one in eight residents, or about 12,000 people, are at the risk of going hungry.

Arizona: St. Mary's Food Bank Alliance

Located in Arizona's largest city, Phoenix, St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance distributes food to nearly 500 non profits including food pantries, dining halls, homeless shelters and more. But it also goes beyond the city limits. Its network reaches across 13 of the state's 15 counties. One of St.

Arkansas: Northwest Arkansas Food Bank

About one in every eight residents, or 63,000 people in total, living in the four counties served by this food bank are considered to be "food insecure." Northwest Arkansas Food Bank is headquartered in Bethel, but each month it deploys 10 mobile pantries to more remote areas considered to be food deserts.

California: Los Angeles Regional Food Bank

The Sparks would like to give a big thank you to @LAFoodBank for having us yesterday. We sorted & organized over 9,200lbs of food, providing over 7,500 meals to those in need in the LA community. Shout out to the season ticket holders who helped! #GoSparks #All4LA #TeamSparks pic.twitter.com/XCJr1no1hr

Colorado: Weld Food Bank

The Weld Food Bank likes to stress that every piece of produce helps, from a single homegrown zucchini to a trailer full of potatoes. At a commercial level, it works with both local and national donors to reduce food waste that can otherwise serve others.

Connecticut: Connecticut Food Bank

In addition to serving more than 300,000 Connecticut residents who struggle with hunger, Connecticut Food Bank got involved helping out after Hurricane Florence hit North Carolina. This food bank is located in Wallingford where it reports the demand for fresh produce often exceeds the supply.

Volunteer at a Soup Kitchen

Many local food banks and soup kitchens are still open — and they’re still looking for volunteers. But before signing up, make sure you check their policies around pandemic precautions.

Donate to a Community Fridge

If volunteering in-person isn’t for you, look into donations. Food insecurity is still a concern for many across the country. Consider donating to a local community fridge to serve those in need in your own neighborhood.

Go Grocery Shopping (Safely)

You’re probably going to be spending a lot of time grocery shopping in the next few weeks — why not shop for someone other than yourself? Shopping Angels helps deliver groceries to elderly and immunocompromised people who are especially at-risk of contracting COVID-19. You can volunteer, donate or even start a local branch.

Participate in a Digital Turkey Trot

IRL turkey trots might be canceled for the most part, but Women’s Health and Men’s Health first virtual turkey trot is taking place on Thanksgiving Day to raise funds and awareness for hunger relief in America.

Shop Online

With major retailers closing their doors or offering limited hours this Black Friday, remember that you can still give back while you shop online for holiday gifts. When you check out online with one of the millions of retailers that accept PayPal, look for the option to donate $1 to charity before completing your purchase.

Take a Break from the Kitchen

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner takes a lot out of you, so there’s no shame in grabbing takeout the next day (or the day after that).

1. Give Back To Your Community

According to TalkPoverty.org, 46.7 million people in the U.S. are living in poverty, around 14.8 percent of the population. Additionally, 40 percent of food in the U.S. is thrown out each year, which is enough to feed 25 million Americans.

2. Create Thanksgiving Baskets

To help those who are unable to afford a Thanksgiving dinner, put together a variety of Thanksgiving gift baskets to distribute locally. Local charities may be collecting baskets to donate to those in need. When creating your basket, consider adding the following items:

3. Volunteer At A Soup Kitchen Charity

Thanksgiving is a popular time to serve food at a soup kitchen, so your time may be better spent on the weekend before or after Thanksgiving. Either way, you’ll want to call to make plans in advance since shifts do fill up quickly.

4. Hold A Food Drive

Holding a food drive allows you to help out without investing a bunch of your own money. Plus, you’ll end up collecting a variety of goods that you may not have thought of on your own.

5. Visit Patients At Your Local Hospital

Many people are unable to enjoy the holiday months if they are in the hospital. The holidays can be especially lonely if their families do not live nearby and they don’t have any visitors. Many of these patients may enjoy your company on Thanksgiving.

6. Donate Your Car To Charity

When you donate a car, truck, boat, or motorcycle to Wheels For Wishes, your donation benefits your local Make-A-Wish chapter and helps to grant the wish of a child between the ages of 2 ½ and 18 with a critical illness. Donate your vehicle and help to grant the wish of a child over the holidays.

Money

Of course, giving canned goods or food items isn't the only way you can give back. You can always donate directly to your local food bank, so they are able to use the funds toward buying food more inexpensively in bulk.

Canned Fish & Meat

Canned fish and meat are great donation options because they're high in protein and can last for years before expiring. Look for items that have low sodium, like canned tuna or chicken.

Canned Foods With Pop-Top Lids

If you're getting canned food, whether it's veggies or tomato sauce or meat, try to find the cans with lids that just pop off. That way, it's as easy as possible for people to access the food without any extra tools like a can opener.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is a great donation item, since it's high in protein and healthy fats, and also has a long shelf life. Similarly with canned meats, you should try to find peanut butter without many added ingredients or unnecessary sugar.

Spices

It might not be the first thing you think of, but donating a collection of spices (all unopened, obviously) is a great way to give back to your local food bank. Possibilities include cinnamon, chili powder, cumin, and other salt-free spice blends — all of these spices will be able to add flavor to pretty much any meal that a family wants to make.

Unsalted Nuts & Dried Fruits

Unsalted nuts and seeds, like almond or pumpkin seeds, are a great donation option because they can be easily added to a recipe and are high in protein. Nuts and granola bars are some of the food items in highest demand at food banks, Villarreal says.

Shelf-Stable Milk

Instead of fresh dairy, donate shelf-stable milk, i.e. milk that can be stored in room temperature conditions without expiring for years. Shelf-stable milk can be labeled ultra-high temperature pasteurized, or UHT, which means it can be stored safely without refrigeration.