You Want To Give Back, Here's How: Local Thanksgiving Food Drives

Flatbush BID Thanksgiving shopping group. (Photo courtesy: Flatbush BID)

This Thanksgiving, do more than give thanks at the dinner table — put your words into action by giving back to community members in need. Especially now, local organizations need our help to stay afloat. Below find a list of some great local places to donate food or volunteer your time this Thanksgiving. Know any that we missed? Email us at editor@ditmasparkcorner.com.

Special for DPC readers: CAMBA’s Beyond Hunger Emergency Food Pantry
Where: 2241 Church Avenue between Flatbush and Bedford Avenues.
What: Support Camba and DPC’s 500 turkeys for 500 families effort. Last year, our community came together and gave almost $11,000, which meant CAMBA fed hundreds of local families. We think we can do that again, and do it even better. Donate to the turkey drive here.

Flatbush:

Jumaane Williams’ canned food drive
Where: Drop off items at Williams’ office, 4517 Avenue D between East 45th and East 46th Streets, 10am and 4pm, Monday–Friday.
What: Council Member Jumaane D. Williams and Students Taking Action Today will be collecting donations for the annual holiday canned food drive for pantries and charitable organizations. For more info, contact Farah Louis-Drayton at flouis@council.nyc.gov or 718-629-2900.

Flatbush Reformed Church Soup Kitchen
Where: 890 Flatbush Avenue at Church Avenue.
What: The Flatbush Reformed Church soup kitchen serves two free, hot lunches every week; one on Wednesday and another on Saturday; in addition, they host the annual free Thanksgiving Luncheon –this year on Saturday, November 19th. Come in between 9 and 10am on a Wednesday or Saturday to learn about volunteering.

Kensington:

GOKE food pantry at Christ Apostolic Church
Where: 622 Cortelyou Road between East 7th Street and Ocean Parkway.
What: Donate dried and canned items, call Babatunde Adebiyi for drop off times at 516-263-4218.

NYPD 70th Precinct Food & Coat Drives
Where: 154 Lawerence Avenue between Seton Place and Ocean Parkway.
What: The 70th Precinct is participating in a coat drive sponsored by New York Cares and a food drive sponsored by City Harvest. You can bring food into the precinct until December 31 and coats until January 4. For more information, contact the 70th Precinct Community Affairs Unit at 718-851-5557.

Click here for an expanded food pantry list from Community Board 14. Stay tuned for our expanded volunteering in the neighborhood list, coming soon. In the meantime, see our 100 places to volunteer in Brooklyn list.