A local organization is helping feed low income families this Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving, a local organization is making sure thousands of families across South Florida have a warm meal. 7’s Heather Walker shows us how in this 7Spotlight.

Weeks ahead of Thanksgiving, preparations for the largest meal delivery in South Florida were underway.

Packed inside these bags are mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing and the most important ingredient: goodwill.

Isabelle Pike, SVP of Development at Branches: “On Thanksgiving morning, we’ll have over a thousand volunteers come together to cook, package and deliver over 6,000 meals.”

The meals are provided by a nonprofit called Branches. The group is based out of North Miami and works with low income families to break through the poverty barrier.

Their Thanksgiving production is massive.

The goal is simple; to make sure South Florida families who are struggling don’t have to worry about what will be on the table this Thanksgiving.

Josechaba Dolcema: “They help me. The kids are happy when I have Thanksgiving.”

With eight children, Josechaba Dolcema has a lot of mouths to feed. And now the stress of figuring out how to do that has been taken off her shoulders.

Josechaba Dolcema: “When I receive the meal, I am happy because it helps me with my family and my friends.”

But these meals serve more than the families. The volunteers are also grateful for the chance to give back.

Hector Sanchez: “My wife and I wanted to show our kids how to serve the community and they started very little, when they were young, teenagers, and now they come and serve with their wives and their partners, you know, I’m waiting for my granddaughter to come with us also.”

The first year of the program, they gave out 600 Thanksgiving dinners. Now 25 years later, they are giving out 6,000.

Brent McLaughlin, CEO of Branches: “People have been so generous over the years that they keep getting more generous and want to give back. And I think at Thanksgiving, it’s both giver and receiver that is blessed.”

It takes a village to pull it all together year after year. But for the families who receive the meals and the people who volunteer, it is a labor of love.

Heather Walker, 7News.

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