Nonprofits like God’s Love We Deliver (GLWD) are filling in the gap this holiday season by providing 15,000 medically-tailored Thanksgiving meals to families across the five boroughs.

Across the country and here at home, local food pantries and fridges are facing high demand this year. In September, Feeding America found that 65% of food banks reported an increase in the number of people served compared to 2023. For people who have specific illnesses or medical conditions, this means the options for help are limited. GLWD uses nutritionists to create meals that meet those dietary needs and then hand-delivers them to hungry New Yorkers.

On a rainy Thursday morning, 1,100 volunteers helped pack boxes and load trucks with meals and supplies at the College of Mount Saint Vincent. One longtime volunteer told News 12 he first joined after seeing the outreach and support GLWD showed in the late 90s and early 2000s to the HIV and AIDS community. Lloyd Cheu then got involved himself and now volunteers with his family. Cheu said it’s important to eradicate the stigma associated with asking for help.

“One day you may be asking for help, but other days you may be giving help.” Cheu said. “We need to think of us as living in a larger village and community. Every day we accept help from family, coworkers, friends, loved ones and sometimes even strangers. And so it's not a sign of weakness.”

God’s Love We Deliver sends out meals and accepts volunteers year-round.