Holiday Giving

Encouraging the spirit of giving

The Thanksgiving Food Giveaway is Free the Need’s largest food distribution of the year, reaching over 900 families. With over 70 volunteers coming together for this event, it is also the largest gathering of community members who make it a part of their families’ Thanksgiving tradition. Thousands of pounds of donated surplus food is collected from vendors and farmers, both in San Francisco and Siskiyou counties. Volunteers assemble food boxes, each brimming with fresh produce – which is often organic – canned and dried goods which include canned pumpkin and cranberry sauce, Peet’s coffee, bread and a whole frozen turkey, enough to easily feed a family of 6. Thanksgiving time captures the heart and soul of Free the Need: friends and family sharing a wholesome meal together – giving thanks.

592 families
had a holiday turkey in 2022

Meet a Family

"Free the Need helped me reduce my grocery bills and this really took some financial burden away from me. You have helped me care for my family. Our food insecurity is gone and now so many voids in our lives have filled up with the essentials of life."
Laurie
Recipient

Sisters Yasmin and Sukran with Yasmin’s son

"My husband and I moved to the Klamath River permanently 6 ½ years ago. When we arrived we really did not know how we were going to make it financially. After doing a very tight budget we realized there was very little money left for food. That first year was very difficult. The next year I was invited to the Free the Need Thanksgiving food giveaway. I was very reluctant and nervous. I had been the one to donate in the past, not accept. I was filled with pride and almost didn’t go. But I went and was overwhelmed with the love and acceptance from the Free the Need staff. We got to help and really felt a part of what was taking place.

Since then we feel like part of the “gang”. I love to volunteer to help out when needed and every week I receive the most beautiful box of the most wonderful food I could have ever imagined or dreamed of. The Free the Need staff goes beyond to help all the people in our community. They work tirelessly to help all of us not to have to go without. They treat us all with dignity and respect. Never making us feel like we are getting a hand out. Free the Need is truly a blessing in our lives and the lives of many others in our community."
Greg and Jeanne
Recipients

This Year's Wish List

We are able to feed families during the Holiday Season through donations made by people like you. In order to include a turkey in each Thanksgiving box, we need to raise $15,000 to purchase, store and transport them. You can be part of making lasting holiday memories for a family by contributing to our Thanksgiving Food Giveaway.

FTN turkeys

Our donors make it happen too

"They can take perfectly good, edible food and get it to people who really need it, before it turns to garbage."
Paul
Earthquake Produce

Long-time supporter Paul of Earthquake Produce is one example of how our donors are an integral part of Free The Need. Every Friday Paul donates fresh produce for our food program and is part of providing 100 food boxes to families in the mission district of San Francisco.

Volunteer at Thanksgiving Food Day


DUE TO COVID-19 CONCERNS ADDITIONAL VOLUNTEERS ARE NOT NECESSARY

San Francisco

Friday November 17, 2023

Siskiyou County

Monday November 20, 2023

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