Where to get a free Thanksgiving dinner, food or turkey.
Each year around the holidays many families face the challenge of finding and paying for not only a turkey, but the full spread of side dishes that make Thanksgiving feel complete. Thankfully a number of charities and churches will provide free Thanksgiving dinners or stores offer special holiday meals deals. Learn more below on what is available, how the programs work, and how you can get help with a Thanksgiving dinner or prepare ahead.
Understanding the basics of Thanksgiving meal assistance
When you hear the term “free Thanksgiving dinner,” it can mean different things . Some charitable organizations serve a full hot meal on Thanksgiving Day for anyone who shows up, including homeless people. Other organizations provide a food basket or box of holiday groceries ahead of the holiday with a turkey or other protein plus sides. Still others offer a voucher or gift-certificate so a household can purchase their own turkey or fixings for Thanksgiving. Always keep in mind the programs have limited resources so learn how to get alerted to local Thanksgiving food giveaways or deals , as they are first-come-served. Understanding the type of assistance ahead of time helps you ask the right questions: Is registration required to get help or free food? Do I show up on Thanksgiving day or earlier? Is it pickup only? Is there an income requirement?
Details on free Thanksgiving meal programs
Food pantries, some of which also operate a soup kitchen , may provide help in one of three ways. These programs tend to be highly local as most pantries are involved in serving only certain ZIP codes or counties. Each center has its own application process for a Thanksgiving food basket or meal, resources, and hours of operation. The programs vary by food pantry and can include one or more of the following. Find where to get free food from a food pantry in your community . Food pantries may giveaway a free box of food that contains Thanksgiving holiday turkey as well as the sides, such as cranberry, gravy, bread and other items, to an income qualified family and their children. Soup kitchens may be located at some food banks. These sites will tend to serve an entire hot dinner to individuals, including the homeless. Some of these charity run food pantries may give the client a gift certificate to redeem at a local supermarket for a turkey, ham, dessert and all the toppings. This will allow the family to buy their own turkey and maybe other food items. Many pantries and food banks participate in government sponsored food distribution programs, such as TEFAP or other USDA organized events. This means the food, including at the Thanksgiving holiday, is provided at no cost to eligible households through community partner. It is recommended to call or stop by a pantry to learn more on what they offer for Thanksgiving. Free Thanksgiving food boxes can be delivered to the homebound including disabled and senior citizens. These programs are for those individuals that can't make it to a grocery store or meal site, such as they lack transportation, have medical issues, or can’t drive. After delivery of the Thanksgiving food, the homebound person just needs to heat up the meal on Thanksgiving day, and they too will be able to enjoy the holiday. If you can’t make it out, you should register for Thanksgiving assistance from a Meals on Wheels provider . These tend to be offered as year round services so above and beyond just Thanksgiving meal deliveries. Some of the administering agencies may charge the client, or “encourage” a donation. Other Meals on Wheels services are free, especially those offered from Agency on Aging Centers. Some national charity run food pantries, that often have a local presence , provide a supermarket gift certificate so the household can purchase a turkey, bread, ham, dessert, vegetables and toppings at a local grocery store. This model is common at Salvation Army locations and Catholic Charities agencies, depending on donations and local partnerships with grocers. Learn more about local Salvation Army food programs . More people are volunteering to serve free Thanksgiving dinners to struggling people. Or they are coordinating events through networks like Feeding America. The volunteer opportunity page for Thanksgiving is live now, with local meal giveaways and details available too here https://www.feedingamerica.org/take-action/volunteer/thanksgiving . Even after Thanksgiving day in November, many families need help providing for their families during the Christmas holiday season . There are many other programs available during the months of December that can provide meals, boxes of food, and even small gifts to kids. It is often a good idea to apply for these at the same time as applications are made for a free Thanksgiving dinner. Learn about other holiday and Christmas assistance programs that are targeted at helping low income families.
How to get help paying for Thanksgiving meals or free food
If your household is not eligible for a free distribution or if local supplies run out , you can still lower costs with retailer promotions, coupons and grocery apps. As anyone can use these resources to help pay for a Thanksgiving meal. and save money. Coupons can also be used to buy groceries or a turkey at Thanksgiving. Families that want to prepare their own dinner (but save money at the same time) often benefit from these discounts. Not only can anyone use a coupon to save money, but they are also free and can be printed from an online website or cut from the newspaper. Find a listing of free coupon sites . Save money on a Thanksgiving turkey or food box from grocery shopping apps . Some major national retail chains, with a local presence, are offering ultra-low cost “Thanksgiving meal kits” (turkey + fixings). The programs from grocery stores will make it easier for people to afford a meal. Although not free, they help stretch budgets. For example, ALDI and stores like WalMart will generally offer an entire Thanksgiving dinner for as many as ten people for around $40 to $50. Always verify dates and participation with your local store and compare the total cost of the kit to buying items individually. From time to time some of these services also giveaway free Thanksgiving turkeys or groceries to select customers to help encourage their use. Find the best grocery saving apps .
Conclusion when it comes to getting help at Thanksgiving
Register as early as possible, whether for free food or a deal site. Confirm pickup times, and ask what documents are needed. Many sites now use scheduled, drive-through pickups in the week(s) before Thanksgiving. Whether you qualify for a hot community dinner, a free food box or turkey giveaway, or you simply benefit from retailer deals and savings, the key is to act early, ask questions, and use every available resource.