A happy and joyful Thanksgiving to all!

By Emmett Findley, Director of Communications

More than 1,700 generous volunteers joined us today to help us prepare and deliver a record-breaking 8,400 Thanksgiving meals for people living with HIV, cancer and other life-altering illnesses in the New York City metropolitan area. This year’s meal delivery included 4,000 guest meals, so that each client could invite a friend to spend the holiday with them. Our holiday meals were delivered in cheerful, hand-decorated bags designed by local school children. Each household (out of 4,000) also received a holiday tote bag filled with treats and personal care items to help make the day special.

Thank you to everyone who made today possible as we worked together to #CelebrateWithAPlate!

Here’s what it took to make our Thanksgiving meal:

7,000 lbs. of turkey
2,000 lbs. of pumpkin
250 gallons of gravy
2,000 lbs. of carrots
700 lbs. of Brussels sprouts
1,650 lbs. of yams
1,005 gallons of soup
8,400 apple crisps

God’s Love also served a vegetarian entrée, as well as minced and pureed Thanksgiving meals for clients whose medical conditions require those modifications.

Thanksgiving at God’s Love is a huge community effort and we could not do it without our volunteers and supporters. Thank you and happy Thanksgiving from all of us at God’s Love!

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Image 1 of 19 Early morning kitchen volunteers finished with their Thanksgiving pack-out

Image 2 of 19 Marc Jacobs and Char DeFrancesco

Image 3 of 19 Miss Universe Catriona Gray

Image 4 of 19 Assistant Speaker of the New York State Assembly Felix W. Ortiz, Sandra Lee, and CUNY Board Chair of Trustees Bill C. Thompson

Image 5 of 19 Our drivers wishing you a happy Thanksgiving!

Image 6 of 19 Mary-Louise Parker, President & CEO Karen Pearl, and volunteers

Image 7 of 19 Council Member Adams with a client

Image 8 of 19 President & CEO Karen Pearl and Vice President & Chief Development Officer David Ludwigson

Image 9 of 19 God's Love Board Chair Terrence Meck, President & CEO Karen Pearl, and Denise Bailey

Image 10 of 19 Volunteers

Image 11 of 19 Volunteers in action

Image 12 of 19 Our client Renard with his Thanksgiving delivery from our volunteers

Image 13 of 19 Diane Johnson and family

Image 14 of 19 Ann Cutbille Lenane and volunteers

Image 15 of 19 Nicole & Mike Rechter and family

Image 16 of 19 The Imperial Court of New York

Image 17 of 19 Felipe Rose

Image 18 of 19 Jamie and George Hesse and family -- NYC Fit Fam

Image 19 of 19 Linda Irby and volunteers

See our fabulous Thanksgiving press coverage in Univision, NY1 Noticias, and CBS New York.

Photos by Rommel Demano, staff, and volunteers.

View the full album on Facebook.

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