Free Thanksgiving Meals and Food Pantries This Holiday Season

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With the holidays around the corner, local organizations are preparing to help Austinites in need put food on their Thanksgiving tables and fill their pantries.

Most events this year are still operating on a drive-through or delivery basis due to COVID-19 public health concerns, while other standbys, like H-E-B's Feast of Sharing, have plans to resume in-person holiday meals in 2022. If you're in the position to volunteer or donate, many of the below events need assistance with meal preparation or distribution, as well as monetary and food donations.

Looking for something a bit more formal (and costly)? See our Thanksgiving Dining listings.

Central Texas Food Bank Mobile Food Pantries Through Dec. 31, monetary donations to Central Texas' largest food bank will be matched up to $100,000. CTFB will host drive-through food pantries at various locations Nov. 18-24. centraltexasfoodbank.org. Austin VA Clinic (7901 Metropolis): Fri., 2:30-3:30pm Del Valle HS (5201 Ross Rd.): Sat., 9-11am Asian American Resource Ctr. (8401 Cameron): Mon., 8-9am Onion Creek Soccer (5600 E. Wm. Cannon): Tue., 9-11am ACC Riverside (1020 Grove): Wed., 9-11am

Sides and Pies Canned/packaged food & pies, distributed via drive-through. Turkey not included. Thu., Nov. 18, 5pm. Mar­tin Park Kickball Field, 1621 Nash Hernandez Rd. austintexas.gov.

Mission Accomplished Thanksgiving Baskets Donate money or food and help provide meal baskets for those experiencing homelessness. Or volunteer for basket assembly and distribution. Basket assembly: Fri., Nov. 19; distribution: Sun., Nov. 21. Austin Achieve Public Schools NE, 7424 Hwy. 290 E. Free. fb.com/missionaccomplishedtexas.

Hands for Hope El Buen Samaritano serves families meal kits containing a frozen turkey and sides. Sign up to volunteer for meal distribution. Sat., Nov. 20. El Buen Samaritano, 7000 Woodhue, 512/543-7903. elbuen.org/handsforhope.

Pan Am Rec Center Thanksgiving Dinner Meals will be distributed via drive-through, with no sit-down dining area. Sat., Nov. 20, 10am-2pm. Oswaldo "A.B." Cantu/Pan-American Recreation Center, 2100 E. Third. austintexas.gov.

Thanksgiving Meal Boxes will be distributed to the first 100 people to arrive on a first-come, first-served basis. Sat., Nov. 20, 11am-2pm. Bethany Christian Church, 3507 E. 12th. bccdisciplesofchrist.com.

Great Thanksgiving Banquet This is Mission Pos­sible Austin's annual Thanksgiving meal for our homeless neighbors. Volunteers are needed throughout various segments of the day (multiple shifts available). Sun., Nov. 21, 9am-2:30pm. Under I-35 between Seventh & Eighth. mpaustin.org/programs/community/great-thanksgiving-banquet.

Bethany United Methodist Church Thanks­giv­ing Meals Delivery At least 150 families are needed to help deliver meals to families receiving meals, and to help load groceries into cars on the day of the event. Sun., Nov. 21, 1-3pm. Bethany United Methodist Church, 10010 Anderson Mill. bethany-umc.org/thanksgiving-meals.

Mobile Loaves and Fishes Pre-Thanksgiving Meal Mobile Loaves and Fishes hosts an annual meal the Monday before Thanksgiving for Austinites experiencing homelessness. Due to COVID-19 safety, the meal will be distributed in to-go containers to be consumed off-site. Haircuts and flu shots are also offered during the event. Mon., Nov. 22, 4pm. First Baptist Church of Austin, 901 Trinity. mlf.org.

Operation Turkey Register online to help cook, package, and deliver food to those in need. The goal is to prepare 45,000 meals this year, so every hand helps. (Expected delivery is between 10am and 2pm on Thanks­giving Day). Meal prep: Wed., Nov. 24, 6am-8pm; meal delivery: Thu., Nov. 25, 8am-noon. Citywide. operationturkey.com/volunteer.

Mt. Olive Baptist Church Thanksgiving Meal To-go meals are available to the public on a walk-in basis. Volunteer opportunities for adults and older youth available. Food donations welcome. Thu., Nov. 25, 8:30am-12:30pm. Mt. Olive Baptist Church, 1800 E. 11th. mtolivebcaustin.org.

Annie's Way Thanksgiving Dinner Sign up online (or text 512/801-1629) to register for a meal to pick up via drive-through. Due to COVID-19, there are limited volunteer opportunities for setup, cooking, serving, and cleanup. Thu., Nov. 25, 8-11am. St. William Catholic Church, 620 Round Rock West Dr., Round Rock. fb.com/justbecauseministryofhope.

Principe de Paz Thanksgiving Meal Due to COVID, there won't be a sit-down dining area. Meals will be distributed in to-go containers via drive-through and walk-up. Thu., Nov. 25, 11am-1pm. Principe de Paz, 1204 Payton Gin. pdpaustin.org.

Sunrise Community Church Thanksgiving Meal Meals will be distributed outside. Thu., Nov. 25, 11am-1pm. Sunrise Comm. Church, 4430 Menchaca. sunriseaustin.org.