The holidays can be a financially stressful time for anyone, but even more so this year due to the rising cost of food caused by inflation. While some are fortunate enough to fill their table with an indulgent dinner spread, many families in the New York City area are struggling to make ends meet. For those who are barely meeting their basic needs, the holiday season is a harsh reminder of how little support is provided to low-income households. Fortunately, there are a variety of programs and organizations that offer free Thanksgiving dinner in New York City, including free turkeys this 2022 holiday season.
To help relieve some of your holiday stress, we have put together a list of all the nonprofit organizations offering holiday food assistance and free Thanksgiving dinner, Turkeys, and other food giveaways in the New York City area for 2022.
Free Thanksgiving Dinner in New York City, including Turkey Giveaways [2022 Guide]
Below is a list of all the organizations offering Free Thanksgiving Dinner in New York City for 2022.
We will provide you with the organization name, program offerings, registration requirements and instructions, address, and contact information.
West Side Campaign Against Hunger – Upper West Side
Every November for over 20 years, West Side Campaign Against Hunger has been providing turkeys and healthy food so that every family can enjoy a Thanksgiving Holiday meal together.
See details below about this year’s event:
Event Date & Time
Tuesday, November 22, 2022
10:00am – 12:00pm
Event Address
Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew,
263 West 86th Street
Event Details
This year, West Side Campaign Against Hunger aims to distribute turkeys and other holiday foods to more than 10,000 families.
Turkeys are distributed during its regular shopping hours.
If you are in need of these services, you can register with the pantry by visiting the location, or by calling 212-362-3662 Ext. 126, or emailing socialservices@wscah.org.
For more information, visit the Event Page.
Gardiner Foundation Turkey Giveaway – Fordham, the Bronx
In past years, this organization has distributed 1,100 turkeys, plus trimmings, to the community through its annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaway.
See details below:
Event Date & Time
Saturday, November 19, 2022
9:00am
Event Address
St. James Park
193rd Street & Morris Ave
Bronx, NY 10468
Event Details
In past years, this organization has distributed 1,100 turkeys, plus trimmings, to the community through its annual Thanksgiving turkey giveaway.
For more information, visit the Event Page.
Reaching-Out Community Services’ Operation Gobbler Give – Brooklyn
This Brooklyn-based community organization, Reaching Out Community Services is providing free turkeys and Thanksgiving trimmings to over 700 families this 2022 holiday season.
The details for Operation Gobbler Give 2022 are included below:
Event Date & Time
Monday, November 21, 2022
12:00pm – 2:00pm
Event Address
7708 New Utrecht Avenue
Brooklyn, New York 11214
Event Details
The organization will distribute turkeys & the trimming to over 700 families who are registered with their Food program only. (Not open to the general public).
If you are interested in one of its Thanksgiving Day meals, you must be registered with their food program. Call 917-509-9055.
For more information, visit the Event Page.
RISE Rockaway Free Thanksgiving Feast
On the Saturday before Thanksgiving, RISE hosts a special Rockaway Thanksgiving Feast that is FREE for all who attend.
The Thanksgiving meal is a time to give thanks and celebrate our amazing community of family, friends, and neighbors.
The meal includes all the Thanksgiving favorites, prepared by local Rockaway partners.
See event details below:
Event Date & Time
Saturday, November 19, 2022
1:00pm – 3:00pm
Event Address
RISE
58-03 Rockaway Beach Boulevard
Far Rockaway, NY 11692
Details
Registration is required.
For 2022, there will not be a sit-down option for the meal; to-go containers will be provided.
Servings are limited to three per family.
Registration Date
Please contact us at info@riserockaway.org if you wish to attend.
DOROT’s Thanksgiving Meal Delivery – Upper West Side
DOROT’s Thanksgiving Meal Delivery brings hundreds of older adults and volunteers together to share warmth and companionship.
The program provides homebound seniors in Westchester and Manhattan with a free Thanksgiving meal to enjoy this 2022 holiday season.
Event Dates
Sunday, November 20, 2022 (Manhattan & Westchester) and Monday, November 21, 2022 (Manhattan only)
Event Locations
Manhattan: East Side: Moise Safra Center (130 E. 82nd Street) and West Side: DOROT (171 W. 85th Street)
Westchester: DOROT Westchester (925 Westchester Avenue, Suite 200, White Plains)
Details
See the event page here for details.
Xavier Mission Thanksgiving Dinner – Chelsea
The Xavier Mission is hosting their free Thanksgiving Dinner for the community this 2022 holiday season.
In all, they provide nearly 4,000 meals during the holiday week.
While this meal is traditionally geared toward the elderly and disabled, no one is turned away from the holiday celebration.
See details below:
Event Date & Time
Thursday, November 24, 2022 and Sunday, November 28, 2022
Doors open at 11:45am. The meal begins at noon and is usually finished by 1:30pm.
Event Address
55 W 15th Street (Between 5th & 6th Ave.)
New York, NY 10011
Event Details
Each year for the Thanksgiving holiday, Xavier Mission provides:
- A Thanksgiving Day dinner for disabled and senior members of our community
- Dinner delivery to homebound community members
- Food baskets (including turkeys!) to our Food Pantry families
- A special Thanksgiving Welcome Table lunch the Sunday following the holiday
The meal is generally attended by senior and disabled guests of our Welcome Table and St. Francis Xavier communities. However, no one is turned away!
Registration Details
If you are homebound, please call or email the Director of Outreach (rdelatorre@xaviermission.org or 212-627-2100, x211) to schedule a meal delivery for Thanksgiving Day.
Please note that they cannot guarantee the exact time of delivery, though it is usually between 11am and 1pm.
Holiday Food Assistance Programs in New York City
We hope this guide on all the organizations offering free Thanksgiving dinner in New York City this year was helpful.
We will continue to update this post as more opportunities for free Thanksgiving dinner in New York City are announced.
Stay tuned to our blog because we will be releasing our list of Christmas Assistance Programs in New York City for 2022 very soon!
The holidays can easily become a financial burden for many low-income families living in New York City. Our goal is to help you navigate these difficult times and achieve financial security.
With that said, we would love to hear from you! Let us know in the comments if you found this information helpful and would like more articles like this!
New York City SNAP Eligibility Summary
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Live outside of New York City? Get a list of the organizations and programs in Free Thanksgiving Dinner in New York for 2022.
Questions?
If you have further questions about New York SNAP or EBT Card, please let us know in the comments section below.
Want to more holiday assistance information? Check out our NEW article on the FREE Christmas Assistance in New York for the 2022 Holiday Season.
Also, be sure to check out our other articles about NY SNAP and EBT, including:
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Get Free Admission with NY EBT Card
New York P-EBT Benefits for Summer 2022
P-EBT Extension for NY for School Year
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Extra SNAP for November 2022