Annual Thanksgiving distribution needs helping hands

COXSACKIE―The Regional Food Bank is calling on thousands of volunteers to help carry out what it says will be the nation's largest Thanksgiving meal distribution, an ambitious effort to provide 575,000 holiday meals to families across upstate New York.

Scheduled for Saturday, November 21, the massive undertaking will span 45 distribution sites across 23 counties, requiring an estimated 4,500 volunteers to help get food into the hands of those who need it.

Among the participating locations is Coxsackie Village Hall, which will serve as a Thanksgiving food distribution site for Greene County residents for the third consecutive year.

The annual initiative, launched in 2024 after Albany-based nonprofit Equinox discontinued its longtime community Thanksgiving dinner, has since grown into a major regional effort involving community organizations, local leaders and volunteers.

According to the Regional Food Bank, the greatest need for volunteers will be at distribution sites, where they will help hand out turkeys and bags of groceries containing the fixings for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Recipients can expect to receive a turkey and groceries that may include vegetables, stuffing and other holiday staples, allowing families to prepare their own Thanksgiving meals at home.

In addition to the drive-thru distributions, the Food Bank plans to deliver 10,000 hot, prepared meals directly to senior sites throughout its service area.

At Coxsackie Village Hall, distribution will begin at 10 a.m. November 21, with food available on a first-come, first-served basis. No preregistration is required, and residents can pick up their holiday groceries without leaving their vehicles.

Although supplies are limited, the Regional Food Bank says it is making every effort to ensure that everyone who gets in line receives food to help celebrate the holiday.

With hundreds of thousands of meals to be distributed in a single day, the Food Bank is relying on community support to help make the event a success.

Those interested in lending a hand can find volunteer opportunities and a complete list of distribution locations at https://regionalfoodbank.net/2026-thanksgiving-food-distribution-live/.

Additional information is available by emailing thanksgiving@regionalfoodbank.net or calling the Thanksgiving Hotline at 838-900-5180.