This Thanksgiving, Nov. 25, many will be sitting around their tables enjoying a dinner or catching a football game on TV, or even going to Manhattan to view the annual Macy’s parade. Others are not so fortunate during this time of the year and are struggling to make ends meet.
Get or serve a free meal for the needy this Thanksgiving.
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Weehawken
Mayor Richard Turner and the Township Council invite all seniors to join them at a Thanksgiving luncheon party on Saturday, Nov. 20 at the community room located at 525 Gregory Ave. at noon. They will serve hot turkey sandwiches, salads, music, and fun for all. To sign up or to find further information, contact the Weehawken senior center at (201) 319-6060.
Hoboken
City officials are looking for donations to cover the cost of the second annual Hoboken Family & Friends Thanksgiving Dinner at the Hoboken Housing Authority (HHA) on Tuesday, Nov. 23. HHA Commissioner Jake Stuiver will host the dinner along with HHA Executive Director Carmelo Garcia, Mayor Dawn Zimmer, and Save The Youth Academy Founder Luis Acevedo.
The catered meal will be open to all residents of the Hoboken Housing Authority. Seniors will be served from 3 to 5:30 p.m. at the Multi-Service Center, 124 Grand St. Other residents will be served from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the newly renovated community room at 411 Marshall Dr. For more information or to make a donation, contact Jake Stuiver at (201) 978-8977, or jstuiver@gmail.com.
The Hoboken Homeless Shelter, 300 Bloomfield St., will offer a full day of activities and food for the needy on Thanksgiving Day. They offer a dinner at 7:30 p.m., movie time at 5 p.m.; art & creative writing show at 3 p.m.; and Thanksgiving lunch at 2 p.m. They need volunteers for certain shifts on Thanksgiving. They also encourage donations of paper and plastic plates and cups, plastic utensils, and napkins. To get more information, call Jaclyn Cherubini at (201) 656-5069.
A Thanksgiving Day breakfast for the needy will take place at St Matthew’s Trinity Church on Eighth Street (between Washington and Hudson) from 9 to 11 a.m. For more information or to make any donations of food or utensils, call the church at (201) 659-4499.
Mario’s Classic Pizza at 742 Garden St. will be hosting a free traditional Thanksgiving Day dinner from noon to 7 p.m. The dinner is open to anyone in the community who needs it. For more information, call (201) 659-0808.
For the second year, the Hoboken Elks Lodge No. 74 at 1005 Washington St. will be serving a meal at the lodge to those in need on Thanksgiving Day from noon from 4 p.m. Also, meals will be prepared for takeout for those who are unable to stay. For more about the event or to donate, call Tom Foley (201) 852-5833.
On Sunday, Nov. 21 at 4 p.m., the Hoboken Clergy Coalition will hold an interfaith Thanksgiving Service at the Community Church of Hoboken, 606 Garden St. The public can donate non-perishable Thanksgiving-related food items or paper goods. For more information, call (201) 659-8119.
St. Francis Church at 308 Jefferson St. has a food pantry that serves sandwiches daily for the homeless or unemployed. But the food pantry will not be open on Thanksgiving Day. Donations of dried goods are always welcome and can be left at the rectory at 308 Jefferson St. Call for more information at (201) 659-1772.
Jersey City
The Salvation Army at 562 Bergen Ave. is holding a community Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. Free and open to the public. They also welcome donations at their food pantry. For more information, call (201) 435-7355.
St. Lucy’s Shelter, 619 Grove St., will hold its annual Thanksgiving dinner for anyone in need on Thanksgiving Day at 4 p.m. The shelter also accepts donations of food, supermarket gift certificates, winter clothing, and money throughout the year. Donations may be dropped off at the shelter. For more information, call (201) 656-7201.
The Hard Grove Café on Grove Street in Jersey City, near the Grove Street PATH station, is serving their annual Thanksgiving Day meal for the needy this year. Interested people should come in between noon and 3 p.m. and say they are there for the Thanksgiving meal for the needy. Volunteers also are welcome. To sign up or get more information, call (201) 451-1853.
Steve Lipski and his wife Yraida, along with Coptic Community Services, will host a traditional, complimentary Thanksgiving Dinner from noon to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. The dinner will be held at the Coptic Community Center at 861 Bergen Ave. For more information or to make monetary donations, call (201) 610-1009.
St. John the Baptist and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel parishes are sponsoring a free Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the St. John the Baptist School auditorium, 3044 Kennedy Blvd. (enter parking lot side of school on Huron Ave.) Also volunteers are needed on Wed. Nov. 24 from 7 to 9 p.m. and Thanksgiving from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information, call (201) 963-1383.
The Iron Monkey at 97 Greene St. in downtown Jersey City is opening its doors at noon on Thanksgiving Day for a free, traditional Thanksgiving meal served in the second floor dining room. Volunteers are needed to help serve dinner from noon to 5 p.m. Those interested in volunteering in the kitchen as set up crew or wait staff can contact General Manager Tara Werner at (201) 435-5756. On Nov. 24, a “Meet the Brewer” Fundraiser will held at the Iron Monkey (7p.m. to closing) A dollar from each NJ Beer Co. beer sold will be matched and donated to the Thanksgiving dinner.
The Wade Street Wonders Community Organization is holding a dinner for the public on Thanksgiving Day at the New Day Rehoboth Church of Christ, 126 Rutgers Ave. from noon to 4 p.m. Monetary donations are also accepted. For information on the dinner, call Vivian Brazzell-Hemingway at (201) 892-1172 or e-mail: vivianhemingway@yahoo.com.
Hudson County Community College in Jersey City is conducting a Thanksgiving food drive at the Journal Square campus, near the Journal Square PATH station, until Friday, Nov. 19. The college is asking for donations from the public of canned and non-perishable foods. Those donations can be brought to the college’s 25 Journal Square location on the first floor. The donations will benefit St. Lucy’s Shelter on Grove Street in Jersey City.
Union City
The Salvation Army Community Dinner for Thanksgiving will be held on Tuesday, Nov, 23 from 6 to 9 p.m. at their center, 515 43rd St. Volunteers are welcome to give some of their time for the dinner. For more information, call (201) 867-4093.
One of the three homeless shelters in Hudson County, the Palisades Emergency Residence Corporation (PERC) homeless shelter in Union City, will serve dinner at its Thanksgiving celebration on Nov. 24 at 6 p.m. and on Thanksgiving, also at 6 p.m. at 111 37th St. It will be a traditional turkey dinner. The PERC Shelter is a nonprofit interfaith organization whose mission is to provide food and shelter to residents in need. For more information to donate or volunteer year round, call (201) 348-8150.
Also in Union City, the Brian Stack Civic Association, as part of a 20-year tradition, is donating turkeys on Thanksgiving beginning Saturday, Nov. 20, to needy Union City families. And the Civic Association, along with several Union City churches, is organizing dinners from noon to 3 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day for Union City residents at three locations: Miftaahul Uloom Learning Center at 501 15th St.; Centro Guadalupe at 545 35th St., and Iglesia Evangelica Pentecostal at 4903 Broadway. Those who want to volunteer to serve dinner should arrive at the centers by 11:30 a.m. Any Union City family that needs a turkey for Thanksgiving can call Mayor Stack’s office at (201) 348-5755. Leave your name, address and a number where you can be reached, and someone from Mayor Stack’s staff will arrange delivery.
West New York
Dvine Konektion Community Development Corporation is holding a Thanksgiving Food distribution event on Nov. 20 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at 5516 Jefferson St.
Dvine Konektion is distributing to residents of West New York, North Bergen, Union City, Guttenberg and Weehawken bags of non-perishable groceries. Picture ID and proof of address is required. Bags of baby items (baby food, diapers, wipes, etc.) will also be given to those families with kids ages 2 or under. Hot lunch will be served throughout the day. And free blood pressure, diabetes and blood pressure screenings. For more information, call (201) 617-4484.
The West New York Lions Club is asking for donations of non-perishable items, such as canned food to help with their annual Thanksgiving food drive. Every year, the club provides food to four area churches and the Palisades Emergency Residence Corporation shelter in Union City. Donations can be made at Auto City located at 32nd Street and Palisade Avenue, and monetary donations can be sent to P.O Box 56, West New York, NJ 07093. For more information, contact Manny Reyes at (201) 424-1201.
On Saturday, Nov. 20 from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., the city of West New York plans to hold a senior Thanksgiving Party at West New York Middle School at 201 57th St. Tickets are required. For more information on tickets, call (201) 295-5144.
Secaucus
King’s Kitchen, made up of volunteers from several Secaucus churches, will be delivering meals to the elderly shut-ins on Thanksgiving Day. Also they are looking for local restaurants to donate cooked turkey and ham for that day. For more information, call Agnes Bowman at (201) 456-0584.
Also, Secaucus has an emergency food pantry open from 8 a.m – 3 p.m. that gives food to needy families. It’s located at 101 Centre Ave and is open only to Secaucus residents. Call (201) 330-2014 to check on hours or to donate.
Bayonne
Friendship Baptist Church on West 20th Street will offer meals from noon to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving, and those seeking more information or transportation can call (201) 779-2745.
The Bayonne Economic Opportunity Foundation will serve dinner for seniors on Thanksgiving Day at noon in the community room of Backbay Gardens, 535 Avenue A off West 23rd Street. The BEOF will also deliver meals to senior shut-ins. For more information, call Eleanor at (201) 437-7222, ext. 20.
Ricardo Kaulessar can be reached at rkaulessar@hudsonreporter.com.