Thanksgiving at God’s Love We Deliver

The holidays are a special time at God’s Love We Deliver, full of joy, gratitude, and community. Our volunteers, staff, and supporters come together to cook, pack, and home-deliver more than 11,000 holiday meals in November and December. On Thanksgiving, clients receive a tote bag filled with goodies along with a traditional feast. In December, we deliver a special Winter Feast meal to clients and their children, adding an extra touch of joy to the season. The holidays at GLWD are truly a celebration of giving, connection, and warmth. 

On Thanksgiving Day, volunteer opportunities include delivering meals using your own vehicle and providing on-site support at one of our meal distribution centers across all five boroughs and New Jersey. These roles are a meaningful way to share gratitude and make the holiday special for our clients, with plenty of time to get home to celebrate with your loved ones!

You can sign up here.

To register for a Thanksgiving Day volunteer shift with God’s Love We Deliver, visit our volunteer sign-up page. Select the Thanksgiving Day opportunities that fit your schedule, complete your registration, and you’ll receive a confirmation email with your shift details. Keep in mind – if you’re signing up for a Driving shift, only one person needs to register per car. 

No, we do not have a waitlist for Thanksgiving Day shifts. However, cancellations happen and shift needs change all the time, so keep checking our sites for more availability!  

If you need to cancel your shift, please let us know as soon as possible so we can reassign your spot to another volunteer. You can cancel by logging into your volunteer account or by emailing volunteer@glwd.org. You will receive a confirmation email once your cancellation is processed. 

Please plan to arrive at the exact start time of your scheduled shift. Allow approximately three hours for this shift, although most deliveries will conclude sooner. Upon arrival, staff and on-site volunteers will help you check in and provide your client delivery manifest, delivery instructions, client meals, and client household gift totes. You’ll then deliver to approximately 6-8 households, though this number may change depending on need. Once you are done delivering the meals, you will destroy your client manifest, and then you’ll be finished with your volunteer shift and free to celebrate the day in your own way! 

Please plan to arrive at the exact start time of your scheduled shift. Once there, staff will check you in, and let you know your task for the day, and what is expected of you. We ask that you come with plenty of energy for a fast-paced, exciting day of helping to greet drivers, pack meals, check manifests, assist with carrying, and more! 

As a Volunteer Driver, you will use your own vehicle to deliver meals to clients — typically to 6–8 households, all located close to one another. We do our best to ensure that your deliveries are near the distribution center where you’ve been signed up, but be aware that our clients’ needs come first, so you may be asked to drive a little further out. 

Please note: we recommend having two adults in your vehicle — one to remain with your car and one to complete the meal deliveries to clients. 

Our highest-need volunteer opportunity is delivery, by car, in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn. 

Our Thanksgiving Day volunteer shifts run rain or shine! Please dress for the weather and bring any necessary gear to stay comfortable while delivering meals. In the event of severe weather or a safety concern, we will notify registered volunteers as soon as possible with updates about the shift. 

Absolutely! Families are welcome to deliver together. We encourage each group to include at least one adult “co-pilot” to assist with deliveries.

If you’re delivering meals on Thanksgiving Day, please complete only one volunteer registration per car — Please, DO NOT register each individual in the vehicle. 

Yes. Volunteer drivers should be able to lift and carry meal totes that weigh up to 25 pounds and safely deliver them to clients’ doorsteps. Deliveries may require walking short distances and navigating multiple flights of stairs, so comfortable clothing and footwear are recommended. If you have any physical limitations, please let us know so we can help match you to a suitable role. 

Kids are welcome to join in the Thanksgiving volunteer experience! During deliveries, kids can help carry meal bags, greet clients, and share smiles and kindness alongside their guardian. We encourage families to bring at least one adult “co-pilot” to help guide the delivery process and keep everyone safe. 

You are welcome to take photos or videos with your family during your volunteer shift, but not inside or outside clients’ homes or in any way that includes the client or their identifying information. To respect the privacy and dignity of our clients, photography and videography are not permitted during hand-off of deliveries to clients. We encourage you to enjoy the experience and capture your memories in a way that honors client confidentiality.

If you’d like to share your volunteer experience, we welcome photos or videos taken before or after your shift at our centers. Remember to hashtag: #godslovewedeliver & #CelebrateWithAPlate

Yes! God’s Love We Deliver offers meaningful volunteer opportunities year-round, including meal preparation, packing, delivery, special projects, and events. Whether you can give a few hours or a regular shift, there are many ways to get involved and help support our clients throughout the year. You can explore and sign up for opportunities here: Sign Up to Volunteer. For fun activities and ways to get young people involved in volunteering, you can check out our Young Hearts page for more info.   

God’s Love We Deliver is closed on Christmas Day to allow our staff and volunteers to celebrate with their loved ones. While we don’t have opportunities on that day, we are grateful for your support and invite you to join us at other times of the year to continue making a difference. We often especially need help right before and after Christmas, though, so please check out our volunteer opportunities in December and January! 

If you have questions or need more information about volunteering with God’s Love We Deliver, please visit our Volunteer FAQ page or email us at volunteer@glwd.org. We’re happy to help!