Every year, the Hudson Reporter provides information about how to get a free meal, or donate supplies or time around the Thanksgiving holidays. Below is our roster of places to help in Jersey City and Hoboken, and to see the activities and opportunities in the other towns, scroll down to click on “News” for that town.
A turkey for anyone in the county
Assemblyman Brian Stack hosted a party on Nov. 4 at Schuetzen Park to thank the members of his civic association and others who make his traditional turkey giveaway each year possible. The turkeys are available for anyone in his legislative district who needs one, and can be requested by calling the mayor’s office at (201) 348-5755.
“This year we’re going to give away 22,000 turkeys, not just to the needy in Union City, but to the needy anywhere,” Stack said.
The turkeys are paid for by the Brian P. Stack Civic Association.
The turkeys usually arrive by truck from various farms a few days before Thanksgiving, and are distributed by volunteers throughout the area. In some cases, volunteers deliver them floor by floor, apartment by apartment.
Stack, along with other officials and volunteers, will make house calls to deliver the turkeys and chat with residents in the week or so ahead of Thanksgiving.
Hoboken
Two events will take place this Monday, and others will take place later in the week. There are also several drives going on.
On Monday Nov. 21 the Hoboken Police Department P.S.O.A (Police Superior Officers Association) and members of the Hoboken Fire Department will provide about 150 Thanksgiving meal ingredients to Hoboken residents in the Housing Authority and Applied buildings, according to Det. Edgardo Cruz. Shoprite donates all the food, including frozen turkeys and sides like mashed potatoes, which the police and fire departments then put into bags and deliver to those in need.
On Monday, Nov. 21, Party with Purpose (PWP) will host its annual Thanksgiving Feast at the Hoboken Boys & Girls Club at 123 Jefferson St. from 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. “PWP have been producing this Thanksgiving meal for the kids at the [Boys & Girls] club for the past 10 years,” said founder Scott Delea. “It’s one of our favorite events of the year. We get to share a meal with the kids we support and show them we care.“
To donate go to http://www.partywithpurpose.org/events/thanksgiving2016/ or to volunteer contact Wendy Warren at wawarren1@gmail.com.
The Pilsener Haus & Biergarten at 1422 Grand St. will be hosting a Thanksgiving drive starting Monday Nov. 21 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. where whole frozen turkeys can be donated to those in need. They have partnered with various real estate offices in the community where non perishable donations can be dropped off before Nov 20. The drop off locations are at Prominent Properties Sotheby’s at 306 Washington St., Remax at 221 River St., Engel & Volkers at 407 Washington St., Keller Williams Realty at 100 Washington St., Hyacinth Aids Foundation at 492 Communipaw Ave. in Jersey City, and Professional Restoration at 17 Western Ave. in Jersey City.
All weekend donations will be accepted between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
To volunteer and assemble Thanksgiving baskets contact the Pilsener Haus & Biergarten at (201) 683-5465.
Mario’s Classic Pizza at the corner of Eighth and Garden streets will serve a Thanksgiving meal to those in need on Thanksgiving Day starting at 11:30 and ending at 7 p.m. “or until the food runs out,” said the restaurant owner Mario Albunia.
Albunia has been serving Thanksgiving meals for the past 18 years and says his favorite part is “just putting a smile on people’s faces and seeing how much they appreciate it.”
Attendees can expect turkey and all the fixings including stuffing, sweet potatoes, and vegetables, as well as “all the coffee and soda you can drink.”
Albunia said the neighborhood donates turkeys and sides. He his family and neighborhood kids serve and cook the food.
“This year we will have 14 turkeys,” said Albunia. “We only ran out of turkey once before, and I made them a [pizza] pie.”
Albunia said this year he may even try to deliver some thanksgiving meals to Hoboken residents who can’t make it to his restaurant. For more information or to call about delivery, please contact the restaurant at (201) 659- 0808.
St. Matthew Trinity Lutheran Church at 57 Eighth St. offers a Thanksgiving breakfast as part of the LunchTime Ministry, which runs every Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. until noon.
“Thanksgiving Breakfast this year will run from 7:30 a.m. until noon, and features pancakes, bacon, orange juice and a variety of breakfast foods and sweet and savory treats,” said Pastor Rose Beeson. She added that Modcup Coffee will be back again this year.
Beeson said she expects to about 100 attendees who are in need of a meal and that volunteers are welcome on Thanksgiving, or any other day of the year.
She said when it comes to donations, fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as juice, are always appreciated.
She said attendees can expect to be seated six to eight people at a table and be served as if they were in any other restaurant.
Beeson said she believes most people remember to donate and give back during Thanksgiving but wishes it continued into other months as well.
“I think often people are so busy in their day-to-day lives, and Thanksgiving is one of the few holidays that hasn’t been totally commercialized and really focuses on giving thanks and giving back,” said Beeson.
To volunteer people may e-mail volunteers@stmatthewtrinity.org. or call the church’s main office at (201) 659-4499
Walk to Walk foundation will be hosting a Thanksgiving meal for the area’s seniors and shut-ins Nov. 23 at 1:30 p.m. according to foundation president Lisa Young. It will be hosted at the Multiservice Center at 124 Grand St.
Young said that this year, they will have a Frank Sinatra impersonator serenade their guests starting at 2:30 p.m. for about an hour and a half.
“Last year he performed and the seniors loved it,” said Young. “They were drooling all over him.”
Last year the event had over 100 people Young says she’s expecting about the same amount of attendees this year as well.
The Walk to Walk foundation provides the food, but they always welcome monetary donations and volunteers.
For more information or to volunteer call (201) 739-9318.
The Hoboken homeless shelter will also be serving a Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving day.
Executive Director Jaclyn Cherubini said “The doors will open to our guests at 5 p.m. Volunteers are welcome to arrive at 6:15 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7:30 and wrapped up by 8 p.m.”
She said she expects about 80 to 100 guests and anywhere from 40 to 500 volunteers.
“It’s definitely a fun day,” said Cherubini. “Everyone is welcome to come and volunteer and brighten the room and our guests with their smiles. No one will be turned away.”
Cherubini added that many volunteers are unable to get home for the holiday and she believes that the shelter can act as a surrogate family for those wanting to celebrate Thanksgiving.
“Volunteers are surprised that our guests are so grateful and thankful,” said Cherubini. “There is so much camaraderie it surprises people that they are closer than they think.”
The shelter is always looking for donations of food, supplies, toiletries, and volunteers.
They ask for coffee, sugar, milk, gravy, cereal, juice, frozen meat, fruit, cups, plastic utensils, hand sanitizer, garbage bags, soap, toothbrushes, deodorant, socks and more. The shelter also has an Amazon.com wish list where people can purchase and ship donations directly to the shelter. https://www.amazon.com/gp/registry/wishlist/MS7V6XV24L8X/ref=cm_wl_rlist_go_v?
For more information or to volunteer please call the shelter at (201) 657-5069.
Jersey City
The Jersey City Corps of Salvation Army will hold its Thanksgiving Dinner on Wednesday Nov 23 at 6 p.m. at 562 Bergen Ave. For more information visit salvationarmynj.org/jerseycity or call (201) 435-7355.
“A Community That Cares for Families Thanksgiving Feeding” will be held on Nov. 24 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Mary McLeod Bethune Life Center, 140 Martin Luther King Dr. Prep for the day will begin at 8 a.m. According to Rhonda Moore the organizer, they typically serve 800 to 1000 meals at the center and through deliveries to shelters and senior centers.
Moore said they are always looking for food donations of prepared and cooked food, pastries, sodas, and water. Anyone wishing to donate can leave food at the center from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. with a note to Rhonda Moore, or drop off food the day of. For more information contact Moore at (201) 279-3093.
St. John the Baptist and Our Lady of Mt. Carmel will serve their annual hot turkey dinner with all the fixings on Nov. 24 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m at 3026 Kennedy Blvd. The dinners will be served in St. John’s school hall. Anyone who is housebound and would like a dinner delivered should call Jimmy King at (551) 580-4126. For more information or to volunteer call Our Lady of Mt. Carmel at (201) 435-7080 or St John the Baptist at (201) 653-8814.
The Iron Monkey Restaurant will hold its complimentary Thanksgiving Day Community Dinner for senior citizens or families in need on Nov. 24 at 99 Greene St. Seatings begin at 11 a.m. and run every hour and a half with the last seating at 3:30. For more information or to donate and volunteer call (201) 435-5756
On Wednesday, Nov 23, AngelaCARES, Inc. is having its Joining Our Youth & Seniors 6th Annual Thanksgiving Feed the Seniors dinner. This year their goal is to #feed1000seniors. The dinner takes place at the Golden Door Charter School from noon to 8 p.m. with deliveries starting at 3 p.m. Hudson County Seniors are asked to call (201) 685-7273 for more information or for delivery. Those looking to donate can do so at www.angelacares.org or make checks payable to AngelaCARES. Food donations can be dropped off at Angela CARES 696 Ocean Ave in Jersey City.
Freeholder ODea’s South Hudson Civic Association, Rotary Club Of Jersey City, Students of McNair NHS and Fountain Of Salvation Church will provide 2000 Thanksgiving meals this year. On Wednesday Nov. 23 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. 500 Meals will be packed and provided by the South Hudson Civic Association to the needy and homeless. On Thursday Nov. 24 from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. 1500 meals will be packed and provided to the needy, homeless, and to the inmates of Hudson County Corrections.
Volunteers are needed to help with delivery of meals and the organizations request the donations of 150 Pumpkin Pies. For more information, to volunteer, or to donate, contact Riaz Wahid at (201) 669-7608 or email him at riazonroad@yahoo.com.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church at 38 Duncan Ave will hold the 7th annual McGinley Square Thanksgiving Community Dinner on Nov. 24 from 2 to 5 p.m. Pastor Thomas Murphy said they are always looking for volunteers and that they are never sure how many people might attend. For more information or to volunteer call (201) 433-4922
The Martin Luther King Parade Committee and Welcome Baptist Church are hosting its Pre-Thanksgiving Community Dinner on Friday, Nov. 18, at 182 Monticello Ave. Vice President of the committee Doris Johnson said doors open at 6 p.m. at 6:15 a Thanksgiving program will begin and at &:15 dinner will start.
She said that anyone can attend the event
“It doesn’t matter if you have money, or no money, a good job or no job, this is for the community not one targeted group,” said Johnson.
Those looking to donate can also bring nonperishable food the day of for the organizations food pantry.
To RSVP or to volunteer contact Doris at (201) 350-7163
The Open Episcopal Anglican Church of the Incarnation, 68 Storms Ave., will host an annual Thanksgiving dinner on Nov. 23 from 4 to 6.p.m. For more information call (201) 434-4810.
The Coptic Community Center at 861 Bergen Ave. is hosting a free Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day Nov. 24 from noon to 3 p.m. Volunteers should arrive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Urban Mission Church will host a Thanksgiving Day on Nov. 26 from 11 a.m to 2 p.m. at 505 Newark Ave. For more information or to donate call (201) 217-4253
At 124 Storms Ave Monique’s Techniques and the Mo Hair Foundation will hold their 20th annual complimentary Thanksgiving dinner for the community on November 24th from 11a.m to 3p.m. Senior citizens who will need a meal delivered should call (201) 433-0477.
Volunteers must sign up before hand online at https://timetosignup.com/monique2016/
Hospital and Shoprite help out
CarePoint Health, the organization behind Bayonne Medical Center, Hoboken University Medical Center, and Christ Hospital, will be donating $15,000 in Shoprite gift cards to various community groups. Senior Vice President of Marketing and Communications Jarrod Bernstein said in the past the company has donated turkeys, but this year they decided to do gift cards as they are easier for the community groups to hand out and require fewer volunteers.
Each gift card is for $10 and will be provided to all the communities they serve.
“It’s part of who we are its part of the fabric or our organization to give back,” said Bernstein.
In addition to the gift cards, Bayonne Medical center will be donating a “truck load” of food to Bayonne Chamber of Commerce food drive.
Marilyn Baer can be reached at marilynb@hudsonreporter.com.