‘Tis the season not only of giving thanks, but of sharing. This is the time of year when many of our communities and businesses reach out to ensure that everyone, no matter their financial or family situation, has an opportunity to enjoy a hearty meal, to socialize with neighbors, and to participate in the holiday.
Every year the Reporter offers a listing of locations where people throughout Hudson County can go for a Thanksgiving meal if they cannot afford one, and how to volunteer or donate if you’d like to participate.
North Bergen
The North Bergen Emergency Relief Program and the Nicholas J. Sacco Foundation held a Thanksgiving drive for families in need throughout the township. Grocery items and canned goods will be distributed at 10:30 on Monday, Nov. 24 at the North Bergen Recreation Center, 6300 Meadowview Ave. Families or seniors in need of a meal this holiday season can call (201) 392-2084 or email afocaraccio@northbergen.org to sign up.
There will also be a full Thanksgiving meal provided on Nov. 27 at the Woodcliff Community Reformed Church, 7605 Palisade Ave. The meal will take place from noon until 3 p.m. in the gymnasium, following an 11 a.m. service in the sanctuary.
This will be the sixth year the church has provided meals to the community. “We served almost 400 meals last year,” said Director Win Powers. “We’re preparing for the same this year. Our menu will consist of turkey with all the trimmings, pork shoulder, lasagna, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, rice and beans, string beans, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and much more. Dessert will include pumpkin, apple pie, and ice cream.”
Hot meals are available throughout Hudson County, along with plenty of opportunities to volunteer and help the needy.
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Guttenberg
“We work in conjunction with the kids in the schools,” said Mayor Gerald Drasheff. “The kids put together baskets for families in need.”
The baskets contain canned goods and dried food products. These are then distributed to the needy throughout town.
In the past, the town also provided frozen turkeys with the baskets. This year things are different. “CarePoint Health has donated gift cards which we’re doing in place of donating turkeys,” said Drasheff.
The gift cards are usable at area supermarkets for the purchase of turkeys. Recipients are participants from the town’s community outreach and senior services programs.
Secaucus
“We are giving out Thanksgiving bags and turkeys to over 120 families,” said Pat Jacobowski, administrative assistant of Social Services in Secaucus. “We don’t have a food kitchen here, so they’re getting a frozen turkey. Single people will get a roaster, a large chicken.”
The poultry comes from the food bank in Hillside. The Thanksgiving bags contain ingredients for a full Thanksgiving dinner, including instant potatoes, stuffing, vegetables, cake mix, yams, cranberry sauce, fruit, and pasta sauce.” Recipients were identified from the town’s food pantry list and other organizations.
In addition, “We do 75 to 100 home bound meals through King’s Kitchen, one of the churches,” said Mayor Michael Gonnelli.
“Those are women that volunteer,” said Jacubowski. “The women cook at home and they put it together at one of the churches.”
Union City
On Saturday, Nov. 22, Mayor Brian Stack was scheduled to go door-to-door with volunteers to deliver turkeys to needy families in the city.
The town also provides luncheons on Thanksgiving Day, including turkey and side dishes. The event takes place from noon to 2 p.m. at five different locations throughout town:
• St. Anthony of Padua Church, 615 8th St. and Central Ave. (201) 867-8859
• Miftaahul Uloom Academy, 501 15th St. (201) 223-9920
• Robert Waters Elementary School, 2800 Summit Ave. (201) 348-5925
• George Washington Elementary School, 3905 New York Ave. (201) 348-5954
• Roosevelt School, 4507 Hudson Ave. (201) 348-5971
The meal is for Union City residents. Volunteers are welcome to help serve food.
The Palisades Emergency Residence Corporation (PERC) will be providing a community Thanksgiving meal on Wednesday, Nov. 26 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at their 111 37th St. location. All are welcome.
“We are serving roast turkey, mashed potatoes, candied yams, string beans, cranberry sauce, vegetable platters, pork, rice, and a full line of desserts,” said PERC Representative Patricia Belenski. “We cook everything here. Our meals are wonderful.”
More than 250 are expected at two seatings.
Weehawken
“What we do is we drop off meals to the needy in town that we know from our social welfare program,” said town representative Gio Ahmad. “We do about 120 hot meals for the needy and homebound.”
The meal consists of turkey and all the trimmings and is delivered on Thanksgiving morning. “We bring it right to them, to their home. We start at one end and work our way through town,” said Ahmad.
Hoboken
The Hoboken Homeless Shelter at 300 Bloomfield St. is serving a Thanksgiving lunch at 3 p.m. and a dinner at 7:30. “If you’re hungry I’ve got a good plate of food for you,” said Executive Director Jaclyn Cherubini, “There will be a bountiful amount of turkey and mashed potatoes and stuffing and vegetables and salad and dessert as well as board games and socializing throughout the day.”
Volunteers are welcome from noon to 8 p.m. to help with the serving and arrangements. The shelter serves an average of 500 meals daily, doubling that on Thanksgiving to 1,000 meals. “St Francis food pantry is donating 52 turkeys, and our friends at King’s Supermarket are donating 100 turkeys,” said Cherubini. The rest of the food comes from generous donors and the community food bank in Hillside.
The shelter is asking for donations of plates, cups, napkins, and forks in order to serve 1,000 meals. Call (201) 656-5069 for information or to volunteer.
“It’s Hoboken so we gotta do it up right,” said Cherubini.
She also directs people to the St. Matthew Trinity Lunchtime Ministry at the corner of Eighth and Hudson Streets for “the best pancake breakfast of your life.”
“We serve a big breakfast from 8:30 to 11,” said Millie Gracia, volunteer coordinator at the ministry. “We do pancakes, eggs, bacon, orange juice.” Typically they serve 100 meals or more on Thanksgiving.
Some restaurants in town are also joining in serving the community. Mario’s Pizza Café is serving a free Thanksgiving dinner from 1 p.m. to about 7 p.m. “for the needy and anybody that walks in,” according to Mario Albunia.
They’ve been providing meals for about 15 years, including during the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. “It’s a regular Thanksgiving tradition: turkey, stuffing, vegetables, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, apple pie,” said Albunia. “Just tell them that Mario’s is open for you and we’d love to have you here. The more the merrier.”
Zack’s Oak Bar and Restaurant at 232 Willow Ave. has been serving meals on Thanksgiving for the past 18 years in conjunction with the charity organization In Jesus’ Name. “We serve a full Thanksgiving dinner as if they were our guests at our restaurant,” said owner Sheila Nisler. “We have customers who help us and some of our staff volunteer.”
The restaurant serves over 200 meals, including meals delivered to residents who can’t come out. Seating takes place at 11 a.m. and the meal runs until about 2:30 p.m.
Jersey City
The Jersey City Youth Foundation will distribute more than 7,000 turkeys to members of the community from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 22. The turkeys will be given out at both the Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health at 355 Grand St., and Christ Hospital-CarePoint Health at 176 Palisade Ave. The event is sponsored by CarePoint Health, the Jersey City Medical Center-Barnabas Health and Inserra Family/Shoprite.
Mayor Steven Fulop and the Jersey City Employment and Training Program cordially invite residents to a Thanksgiving Dinner on Tuesday, Nov. 25 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at Martin’s Place, 398 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. If you are able, please bring a dish to share in the Thanksgiving spirit. Use this link to RSVP and let them know what food item you are bringing: http://thanksgiving.jcetp.us.
The Salvation Army will host its annual Community Thanksgiving Dinner on Wednesday, Nov. 26 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Jersey City Corps Community Center, 562 Bergen Ave. “It’s the whole thing from soup to nuts – turkey, green beans, stuffing, dessert,” said Captain Vanessa Fullwood. “We’re open to the whole community. Nobody gets turned away.” To volunteer, call (201) 435-7355.
The Evangelistic Prophetic Healing Outreach Deliverance Ministry, 665 Newark Ave., Suite 204, will serve Thanksgiving meals on Nov. 26 from 1 to 3:30 p.m. For more information, contact Pastor Marcella Fitch at (201) 492-8315.
St. John the Baptist Church will once again serve a hot turkey dinner on Thanksgiving Day. Meals will be served at St. John the Baptist/Golden Doors School Auditorium, 3026 Kennedy Blvd, Jersey City from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Also, up to 200 meals will be delivered to those in need.
Volunteers are needed from 7 to 9 p.m. on Nov. 24 to prepare the meal and on Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. to cook, serve, and clean up. To have a meal delivered to your home or to volunteer, call Jimmy King at (551) 580-4126.
Urban Mission Church, 505 Newark Ave., Jersey City, will be serving a traditional Thanksgiving meal from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.. Enjoy a hot meal with families from the community. Dinner is free to anyone who attends. For more information, call (201) 217-4253
The Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, 140 Belmont Ave., will be hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for the community from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Nov. 27. All are welcome. “Anyone with an appetite that wants a free meal on that day can have it,” said a church representative, noting that they will be providing “a full turkey meal with the works.” Church youth groups and the girl scouts will be acting as servers. For more information, call (201) 332-4447.
The Hospitality Ministry of Mt. Pisgah AME Church, 354 Forrest St., will serve Thanksgiving dinner from noon to 3 p.m. on Nov. 27. For additional information, call (201) 435-3680.
The Coptic Community Center at 861 Bergen Ave., is hosting a free Thanksgiving dinner from noon to 3 p.m. on Nov. 27. Volunteers should arrive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
A Thanksgiving Community Dinner will be served at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 38 Duncan Ave., from 2 to 7 p.m. To volunteer, contact Trish Szymanski at (917) 536-2682 or TrishSzymanski@gmail.com.
The Rotary Club of Plainsboro, Minister Deborah King, Greater Deliverance Baptist Church, Bishop Jacqulen Walton of Refuge Temple Deliverance Ministry PHOP Inc and Apostle Marquis Yearwood of The City of Deliverance Ministry will provide 200 Thanksgiving meals (eat-in/take out/drop off) for homeless and needy persons from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday Nov. 27 at 74 Gardner St. (corner of Monticello). They are looking for volunteers to cook, prepare, serve and clean. Call (201) 669-7608 or email riazonroad@yahoo.com to participate.
Sanai’s Restaurant and Lounge, 510 Summit Ave., is hosting a “Give Thanks by Giving Back” Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 27 for those in need. The free event will take place from noon to 3 p.m. To RSVP call (201) 795-9393.
The Iron Monkey Bar & Restaurant, 99 Greene St., will host its 18th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner on Thursday, Nov. 27 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Meals will be served during four separate seating times, and reservations are suggested. All ages are welcome. Since 1996, the Iron Monkey has opened its doors to the Jersey City community and offered free Thanksgiving meals to anyone in need of a place to celebrate the holiday. Last year, the Iron Monkey served over 500 meals, and hopes to increase that number to 600 meals served this Thanksgiving. While many guests join from local retirement communities, anyone in Jersey City in need of holiday cheer is welcome to participate. For more information call the Iron Monkey at (201) 435 5756.
AngelaCARES will be delivering Thanksgiving meals to senior citizens and the homebound throughout Hudson County on Nov. 27.
And for children…
The Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County will be hosting free Thanksgiving dinners for the children involved in their Jersey City and Hoboken-based programs this coming week. The 39th annual Jersey City dinner will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 25 at 4:15 p.m. at 225 Morris Blvd. The 31st annual Hoboken dinner will take place on Monday, Nov. 24 at 4:15 p.m. at 123 Jefferson St. and is being supported by Party With Purpose, which held a fundraiser for the event. The children will be treated to ice cream for dessert from Ben and Jerry’s in Hoboken, the primary sponsor of the event. Boys & Girls Clubs of Hudson County Executive Director Gary Greenberg said he expects to feed around 300 to 350 kids total at both dinners. Children must be preregistered to participate.
The Tom Coughlin Jay Fund is donating Thanksgiving meals to 23 families tackling childhood cancer in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. The meals will be delivered directly to the homes of these local families in baskets filled with ham, smoked turkey breast, and side dishes. Holiday meals were scheduled to be delivered to the families on Friday, Nov. 21 so they are ready to be enjoyed on Thanksgiving Day. In Hudson County, the families are in Guttenberg, Jersey City, West New York, and Harrison.
Art Schwartz may be reached at arts@hudsonreporter.com.