Food prices continue to rise, and many families in Central New Jersey have to make choices between food, rent, gas, and other bills.
But with your help, families can experience the joy of a home-cooked meal and have enough food to last through the holiday weekend.
Get Started
Click below to learn more about the different ways you can help! To sign up for any of these opportunities, contact Gina Davio by emailing GetInvolved@homefrontnj.org or calling 609-989-9417 x 112.
Pack a Thanksgiving Basket (or Multiple)
The best way to help is to pack a Thanksgiving basket for one or more families! Baskets are designed to contain enough food for Thanksgiving Day and the holiday weekend.
Suggested Basket Contents:
- Grocery story gift card ($30) so a family can purchase a turkey or a ham
- Shelf-stable Foods: Boxed stuffing mix, cornbread mix, 2–4 cans of soup, canned tuna, beans (canned or dry) & rice, potatoes, cranberry sauce, pasta & sauce, mac & cheese, peanut butter & jelly
- Vegetables: 3–4 cans of green beans, peas, or spinach, 2–3 cans of corn, carrots, or yams
- Desserts: Cake mix & frosting or pie crust & filling, 1–3 cans of fruit
- Breakfast: Oatmeal or cereal, pancake mix & syrup
This flyer also contains the full list of basket items.
Other Ways to Help
Donate Food Items or Organize a Food Drive
Can't pack a full basket? No worries, you can donate individual food items. Every bit makes a difference.
Want to work with a group? There's power in numbers! Organize a drive to collect food items to donate in bulk. This is perfect for businesses, schools, faith communities, civic
organizations, neighborhood groups, and more.
Suggested shelf-stable items include boxed stuffing mix, potatoes, cornbread mix, cranberry sauce, canned soups, pasta and sauce, canned tuna, beans (canned or dry) and rice, peanut butter and jelly, canned vegetables, and a dessert such as cake mix and frosting or pie crust and filling. Grocery store gift cards are also helpful; a $30 card can help a family purchase a turkey.
Volunteer
Thanksgiving Volunteer Day
Saturday, November 14 | 9:30–11:30am | 1880 Princeton Ave., Lawrenceville, NJ
Volunteers must be 12+, anyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Join us as we prepare for our annual Thanksgiving Drive! Volunteers will help us sort, organize, and prepare donated food and other items for local families to enjoy over the Thanksgiving holiday.
This is a wonderful opportunity for individuals, families, and community groups to lend a hand during a busy time of year and help us make sure families have what they need for a special Thanksgiving.
Ongoing Volunteer Opportunities During the Drive
Ongoing volunteering may include sorting, organizing, packing, and other seasonal projects. Opportunities are based on current program needs and available capacity.
If you're an 18+ year old individual interested in volunteering for the Thanksgiving Drive, get started with our volunteer application here and register for one of the twice-monthly required virtual volunteer orientations at the top of the application.
If you're interested in volunteering with your workplace or another group, please fill out this group volunteer interest form, and we'll be in touch with you soon.
Click here for more information and FAQs about volunteering at HomeFront.
Donate Grocery Gift Cards
Grocery store gift cards are also helpful; a $30 card can help a family purchase a turkey. You can also do a donation drive for grocery store gift cards as a group.
Make a Financial Contribution
Donating to our Thanksgiving Fund enables us to purchase remaining food items we may need and keeps drive operations going. In addition to giving online at the button below, checks with "Thanksgiving Drive" in the memo field can be mailed to:
Donation Drop-off Information
You can drop off items starting November 2nd to the HomeFront Donation Center at 1880 Princeton Ave, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648 during the following hours:
- Monday to Friday, 9am-3pm
- Saturday, 9am-12pm
The Donation Center is located at the third garage door, where we’re eager to greet you. We ask that you please do not leave donations when the Donation Center is closed.
FAQs
You can pack a complete Thanksgiving food basket for one or more families, organize a food drive, donate individual food items, or donate grocery store gift cards or cash. Every contribution makes a difference!
Suggested shelf-stable items include boxed stuffing mix, potatoes, cornbread mix, cranberry sauce, canned soups, pasta and sauce, canned tuna, beans (canned or dry) and rice, peanut butter and jelly, canned vegetables, and a dessert such as cake mix and frosting or pie crust and filling. Grocery store gift cards are also helpful; a $30 card can help a family purchase a turkey.
Please plan to deliver Thanksgiving donations between November 2 and November 13, 2026. If your group is coordinating a larger collection and needs to discuss timing, please contact us at GetInvolved@homefrontnj.org or 609-989-9417 x 112.
HomeFront Donation Center, 1880 Princeton Avenue, Lawrenceville, NJ 08648. Donation Center hours are Monday-Friday, 9:00am-3:00pm, and Saturday, 9:00am-12:00pm.
Yes. Our Donation Center or Front Desk team will ask you to complete an in-kind donation form. This helps HomeFront properly record and acknowledge community support!
Absolutely! Groups can sponsor one or more Thanksgiving baskets, organize a food or gift-card drive, or contact us to discuss a larger community effort.
Yes! Volunteer needs may include sorting, organizing, packing, and other seasonal projects. Opportunities are based on current program/team needs and available capacity.
Yes! Combining a volunteer project with a collection drive is a meaningful way for groups to support HomeFront. Because space and volunteer needs vary, please contact us using this group volunteer interest form before making plans so we can coordinate an appropriate opportunity.
Yes! HomeFront's Thanksgiving Community Volunteer Day is Saturday, November 14, from 9:30-11:30am. Registration information: Thanksgiving Volunteer Event Registration
For any other questions, please contact: Gina Davio, Community Engagement Manager, at GetInvolved@HomeFrontNJ.org or 609-989-9417 ext. 112.
We are happy to help you determine the best way for your family, company, school, faith community, or organization to participate.
To sign up for any of these opportunities, contact Gina Davio by emailing GetInvolved@homefrontnj.org or calling 609-989-9417 x 112.