Thanksgiving Volunteer Opportunities
Thanksgiving is one of the busiest times of year for Orange County food banks, meal programs and shelters. Volunteers serve holiday meals, pack grocery bags, staff turkey trot water stations and help collect donations, and many groups also welcome food drives and gift cards.
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026. Some organizations have already posted their 2026 plans, and others open sign-ups closer to the holiday. Each listing notes what is confirmed for this year.
Last checked September 2026.
Check before you sign up: Holiday volunteer shifts fill quickly, and many require advance registration, a minimum age or signed waivers for minors. Donation drop-offs are sometimes by appointment only. Confirm dates, age rules and what to bring directly with the organization.
Thanksgiving Volunteer Opportunities at a Glance
| Organization | City | Type | How to help | 2026 details |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County Rescue Mission | Tustin | Holiday meal | Serve Thanksgiving meals | Posted: Nov. 26 |
| Serve the People | Santa Ana | Community meal | Event volunteers | Posted: Nov. 26, 11 a.m.–2 p.m. |
| Anaheim Family YMCA | Anaheim | Meal distribution | Volunteer, donate | Posted: Nov. 26; details TBA |
| Gobble Gobble Give | Garden Grove | Meals for unhoused neighbors | Bring food, help serve | TBA |
| Salvation Army Tustin Ranch Corps | Tustin | Holiday meal | Call to ask | TBA |
| Someone Cares Soup Kitchen | Costa Mesa | Meal service | Prep and serve (15+) | Call to ask |
| Share Ourselves | Costa Mesa | Food distribution | Seasonal volunteers | Distribution posted: Nov. 21 |
| Friendly Center | Orange, Buena Park | Food drive | Donate, volunteer (14+) | Drive posted: Nov. 23–24 |
| Families Forward | Irvine | Food distribution | Sort, pack, distribute | TBA |
| CAP OC Food Bank | Garden Grove | Food bank | Food drives, adopt a family | TBA |
| Second Harvest Food Bank | Irvine | Food bank | Warehouse shifts (13+) | Year-round shifts |
| South County Outreach | Irvine | Food pantry | Pantry volunteers | TBA |
| Dana Point Turkey Trot | Dana Point | Turkey trot | Race volunteers | Posted: Nov. 25–26 |
| Turkey Trot OC 5K | Tustin | Turkey trot | Race volunteers | Posted: Nov. 26 |
| Project Hope Alliance | Costa Mesa | Donation drive | Donate, host a drive | TBA |
| HomeAid Orange County | Los Angeles | Irvine | Holiday meal drive | Donate, volunteer | TBA |
| Meals on Wheels Orange County | Countywide | Meal delivery | Deliver meals, visit seniors | Year-round |
Serve a Thanksgiving Meal
Orange County Rescue Mission
1 Hope Drive, Tustin
(714) 247-4300
The Rescue Mission hosts two meals on Thanksgiving Day for the men, women and children living at its Tustin campus: a traditional holiday lunch at noon and a leftovers dinner that evening. Volunteers help with setup, kitchen support and cleanup.
2026 status: Posted for Thursday, November 26, 2026. To volunteer, email volunteers@rescuemission.org with the event name, your full name and the best way to reach you.
Serve the People Thanksgiving Celebration
Serve the People Thanksgiving 2026
1206 E. 17th St., Santa Ana
(714) 352-2911
This Santa Ana community health center hosts a free Thanksgiving Day gathering with a hot meal and family activities. Volunteers help with setup and cleanup, guest check-in, meal distribution and activity stations. Individuals, families and groups can take part.
2026 status: Posted for Thursday, November 26, 2026, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Volunteer and guest registration is on the event page.
Y Gives Thanks at the Anaheim Family YMCA
Anaheim Family YMCA Community Complex, 1422 N. Broadway, Anaheim
(714) 635-9622
The Anaheim Family YMCA carries on a decades-old Anaheim Thanksgiving tradition by providing holiday meals to local families, with a goal of 3,000 meals this year. Volunteers, donors and sponsors are all invited to take part.
2026 status: Posted for Thursday, November 26, 2026. Location and distribution details are listed as coming soon.
Gobble Gobble Give
Gobble Gobble Give Orange County
MoonGoat Coffee, 7200 Acacia Ave., Garden Grove
Gobble Gobble Give is a potluck-style effort that brings meals and supplies to people experiencing homelessness on Thanksgiving morning, with an Orange County meetup in Garden Grove. In 2025 the Orange County event ran from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., no sign-up was needed, volunteers were asked to bring ready-to-serve food, and participants had to be 13 or older.
2026 status: Not yet announced. Check the Orange County page closer to the holiday for this year’s time and guidelines.
Salvation Army Tustin Ranch Corps
Salvation Army Tustin Ranch Corps
Tustin
(714) 832-7100
The Tustin Ranch Corps has hosted a community Thanksgiving meal in its fellowship hall in past years.
2026 status: Not yet announced. Call the corps office to ask about holiday volunteer needs.
Someone Cares Soup Kitchen
Someone Cares volunteer information
720 W. 19th St., Costa Mesa
(949) 548-8861
This Costa Mesa soup kitchen serves free meals seven days a week and relies on volunteers to cook, serve, sort donations and clean up. Volunteers must be at least 15, and groups of up to 10 need to reserve a date by phone or email.
2026 status: No Thanksgiving-specific schedule has been posted. Call to ask about holiday shifts.
Food Banks & Pantries
Share Ourselves
2026 Thanksgiving Food Distribution
Share Ourselves volunteer applications
1550 Superior Ave., Costa Mesa
(949) 270-2100
The Costa Mesa health center gives out bags of Thanksgiving meal ingredients to registered families at a drive-thru distribution each November. Seasonal and group volunteer applications are on its website.
2026 status: The distribution is posted for Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 9 a.m. to noon. Apply as a seasonal or group volunteer to help.
Friendly Center
Full Shelves, Full Hearts Drive
Holiday volunteer sign-ups
147 W. Rose Ave., Orange
6688 Beach Blvd., Buena Park
(714) 771-5300
For 2026, Friendly Center’s Full Shelves, Full Hearts drive replaces its traditional Thanksgiving baskets. Donated groceries stock its Friendly Mart so families can choose the items they need. The website lists the requested items. Holiday volunteers must be at least 14, and the shifts involve light lifting.
2026 status: Posted. Donation drop-off is Monday, November 23, 2026, by appointment at either location (appointment sign-ups open November 1), and distribution is Tuesday, November 24. Holiday volunteer shifts for 2026 have not been posted yet.
Families Forward
Families Forward holiday programs
8 Thomas, Irvine
(949) 552-2727
This Irvine nonprofit gives local families the ingredients for a homemade Thanksgiving meal. Volunteers sort donations, fill bags and help with distribution at its office during the two weeks before the holiday, in shifts of about two hours. Food and cash donations are also accepted in November.
2026 status: Not yet announced. Watch the holiday programs page for the Thanksgiving volunteer interest form.
CAP OC Food Bank
11870 Monarch St., Garden Grove
(714) 897-6670
Community Action Partnership of Orange County runs the OC Food Bank. Its Hope for the Holidays campaign invites the community to adopt a family, host a virtual or in-person food drive, or give a holiday contribution.
2026 status: Not yet announced for 2026. Check the Hope for the Holidays page for current options.
Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County
Second Harvest volunteer information
8014 Marine Way, Irvine
Second Harvest offers volunteer shifts year-round, including the holiday season, at its Irvine distribution center (Monday through Saturday) and at its farms. The distribution center is open to volunteers 13 and up, with an adult chaperone for ages 13 to 15. Farm shifts are open to ages 7 and up.
2026 status: Year-round shifts. Registrations for minors need confirmation from the volunteer team.
South County Outreach
7 Whatney, Suite B, Irvine
(949) 380-8144
South County Outreach runs a food pantry and homelessness prevention programs. Volunteers help stock shelves, sort food and assist clients, with both regular and occasional roles.
2026 status: Holiday-specific needs have not been posted. Check the volunteer page or call.
Turkey Trots That Need Volunteers
Dana Point Turkey Trot
Dana Point Turkey Trot volunteers
Organized by the Dana Point Chamber of Commerce, 34183 Pacific Coast Hwy., Suite A, Dana Point
(949) 496-1555
The Dana Point Turkey Trot returns for its 49th year in Dana Point Harbor, and race proceeds support local nonprofits. Volunteers staff the information booth, registration check-in, gear check, water stations and the medal area, and organizers will sign service-hour forms for schools and clubs.
2026 status: Posted. Volunteer shifts are Wednesday, November 25, and Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 26, 2026.
Turkey Trot OC 5K
Orange County Rescue Mission, Tustin
The Rescue Mission’s Thanksgiving morning 5K, now in its 13th year, raises awareness of and support for its programs for people experiencing homelessness.
2026 status: Posted for Thursday, November 26, 2026. Email volunteers@rescuemission.org with the event name to ask about volunteer roles.
Donation Drives & Other Ways to Help
Project Hope Alliance
Group and donation drive opportunities
1954 Placentia Ave., #202, Costa Mesa
(949) 722-7863
Project Hope Alliance supports Orange County students and families experiencing homelessness. It has run a Thanksgiving drive in past years, and companies, faith groups and other organizations can host donation drives.
2026 status: Not yet announced. Contact the organization about current holiday needs.
HomeAid Orange County | Los Angeles
Irvine
(949) 220-1136
HomeAid collects non-perishable food each holiday season for its housing partners. In 2025 its Holiday Meal Drive ended with a drive-thru drop-off in Irvine on December 5, where volunteers unloaded, sorted and packed meal boxes.
2026 status: Not yet announced.
Meals on Wheels Orange County
Meals on Wheels OC volunteer sign-up
Volunteers deliver meals to homebound older adults or serve as Friendly Visitors and Callers. Most roles require a background check. Youth ages 14 and 15 may volunteer with an adult, and ages 16 and 17 may volunteer on their own with a parent’s permission and site supervisor approval. The group also runs a Holiday Gift Program.
2026 status: Year-round roles. Needs change monthly, so apply online and the team will match you to an opening.
Worth a Call
- Operation Warm Wishes - has hosted a free Thanksgiving Day community event at Peppertree Park in Tustin in past years; 2026 plans not yet announced. (714) 363-6621
- Orange County United Way Get Connected - searchable listings of volunteer openings with local nonprofits
- Local churches and places of worship - many hold holiday food drives or community meals; ask your local congregation how to help
Organize a Food Drive
A food drive at work, school or in your neighborhood can help a local pantry stock up for the holidays. Many of the organizations above post lists of requested items and drop-off instructions. A simple plan:
- Pick an organization and ask what it needs most
- Set dates, a goal and a drop-off spot
- Recruit a few helpers
- Spread the word with the item list
- Collect, box and deliver the donations
- Thank everyone who gave
Thanksgiving Volunteer FAQ
When is Thanksgiving 2026?
Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026.
Which Orange County groups have posted 2026 Thanksgiving volunteer details?
As of September 2026: the Orange County Rescue Mission, Serve the People, the Anaheim Family YMCA, the Dana Point Turkey Trot and the Turkey Trot OC 5K. Share Ourselves and Friendly Center have posted their 2026 distribution dates. Most others have not announced 2026 details yet.
Can kids volunteer on Thanksgiving?
It depends on the organization. Second Harvest’s distribution center takes volunteers 13 and up (13 to 15 with a chaperone), Friendly Center’s holiday shifts require age 14, Someone Cares requires age 15, and Meals on Wheels Orange County allows ages 14 and 15 with an adult.
Do I need to sign up in advance?
Usually. The Rescue Mission asks volunteers to email ahead, Serve the People takes registrations online, and Someone Cares requires groups to reserve a date. Gobble Gobble Give did not require sign-up in 2025.
What if volunteer shifts are full?
Donations still help. Friendly Center collects holiday groceries and grocery gift cards, Families Forward takes food and cash donations in November, and CAP OC Food Bank welcomes food drives and holiday contributions. You can also organize your own food drive for any of the groups above.
If you volunteer with any of these organizations, let us know by tagging us on Instagram at our handle @enjoyorangecounty or use the hashtag #EnjoyOC to be featured on our page!
