Thanksgiving at God’s Love

• All individuals must remain masked when inside a distribution center and when delivering to our clients.
• All individuals must be fully vaccinated to enter a distribution center or deliver to our clients. Fully vaccinated means two doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or one dose of the J&J vaccine.  All participants should bring proof of vaccination (e.g., vaccination card, Excelsior Pass, Clear Pass).
• We will perform contactless delivery to all of our again clients this year.
• Please do not volunteer on Thanksgiving if
  • In the preceding 10 days, you or a member of your household have tested positive for COVID-19
  • In the preceding 48 hours, you or a member of your household have exhibited COVID-19 symptoms (fever or chills, cough, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea) in the 48 hours preceding Thanksgiving.

Families are welcome to deliver together, but this year we do encourage people to bring along only one adult “co-pilot” to assist in delivering meals to help us reduce the number of individuals entering a facility and to ensure social distancing.

The holidays are a special time at God’s Love. Our community comes together to help us cook, pack, and home-deliver more than 9,000 holiday meals in Thanksgiving and December. On Thanksgiving, our clients receive a basket filled with treats for their household, in addition to their traditional Thanksgiving feasts (along with an extra meal for a loved one or guest). In December, we deliver gifts to our clients and their children, adding an extra special touch to the holiday season (and let’s not forget their delicious Winter Feast meal for them and a guest, too!)

Please allot three hours for this shift, and, be sure to arrive at your center location for the time slot you sign up for. Staff and on-site volunteers will help you check in, and, provide you with a client delivery manifest, delivery instructions, client meals and client household gift totes.  You’ll then deliver to 6-8 households and then be finished with your volunteer shift and off to celebrate the day in your own way. Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you!

• Bronx: College of Mount Saint Vincent; 6301 Riverdale Avenue, Bronx, NY 10471
• Bronx: RAP4; 1925 Turnbull Avenue, Bronx, 10473
• Brooklyn: Industry City; 238 36th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11232
• Brooklyn: Concord Baptist Church; 833 Gardner C. Taylor Boulevard (Formerly Marcy Avenue), Brooklyn, NY 11216
• Queens: Church on the Hill; 167-07 35th Avenue, Flushing, NY 11358
• Queens: First United Methodist Church; 162-10 Highland Avenue, Jamaica, Queens, 11432
• Queens: St. John’s Univeristy; 8000 Utopia Parkway, Queens, NY 11439
• Jersey City, NJ: St. Paul’s Church – 38 Duncan Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304
• Staten Island: All Saints Episcopal Church; 2329 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10314
• Manhattan: St. Michael’s Church; 225 West 99th STreet, New York, NY 10025
• Manhattan: God’s Love We Deliver; 166 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013

As a Volunteer Driver, you will USE YOUR OWN VEHICLE to deliver meals to clients — typically between 6-8 households, and all in proximity to each other. You will also deliver a small shelf-stable meal bag per household.

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

Kids are welcome to deliver with their caregivers AND we have a new volunteer opportunity this year! Help our volunteer drivers make deliveries in style this holiday season by drawing “Delivery Volunteer at God’s Love We Deliver” signs for their dashboards. These are not official City-approved signs, but a special way for delivery drivers to indicate to passers-by the important work they are doing. Email volunteer@glwd.org to get started.

If you need to cancel your Thanksgiving Day volunteering registration with us due to your compliance with our COVID protocols or for any reason, please contact the Volunteer Department by emailing volunteer@glwd.org.

Yes! We have volunteer opportunities year-round! View all of our opportunities here.

We have many volunteer opportunities including delivering meals, meal prep, and more. Learn more about our opportunities here.

We are closed on Christmas Day and do not have any volunteer opportunities available.

Please email us at volunteer@glwd.org.