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Meals on Wheels Thanksgiving has previously been an opportunity for the city of Houston and neighboring Galveston County to participate in delivering Meals on Wheels to homebound seniors on Thanksgiving Day. This year things are different due to COVID-19. We must comply with safety regulations and our goal is always to keep our seniors, volunteers, and staff safe. This year we are by inviting volunteers to call Meals on Wheels seniors and wish them a “Happy Thanksgiving”. This is a special opportunity to engage with our seniors and help ease loneliness. Our seniors will receive their special holiday meal, as they do every year. For 2020, that meal will be delivered by the friendly MOW staff member who visits them regularly.

There are 5 ways to get involved this Thanksgiving, and all of them can be done virtually or in a socially distanced manner.

1. Join the Friendly Neighbor Call Team – to deliver some holiday joy to homebound seniors via a personal phone call on Thanksgiving morning. Each volunteer/family sign-up will be provided access to a list of approximately 10 seniors to call between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm noon on Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 26, 2020. These calls will be made via a Virtual Phone Bank, to which our volunteers will be granted access. NO need to use your own phone number – You will be assigned a local area code and number and be good to go! Training will be provided as the event nears.

2. Join the Secret Santa Gift Bag Team – Adopt a senior or two and provide them with holiday gift bags. These bags are supplies that provide the seniors’ items they regularly need and a fun item or two. A list of suggested items is provided and completed bags can be dropped off at Meals on Wheels.

3. Join the Gobble Gobble Gang for Animeals – The beloved pets of homebound seniors are not forgotten this year. Dry kibble is needed to feed the 1,300 pets of homebound seniors. Pet food can be dropped off at Meals on Wheels in Midtown Houston.

4. Join the Friendsgiving Team – Peer to Peer Fundraising is one of the most powerful ways for the community to get involved. Start a Friendsgiving campaign with family and friends to help feed seniors this Thanksgiving.

5. Donate – Would you like to have an impact but can’t commit to the other volunteer opportunities? For every $5 gift, a senior can receive a meal for Thanksgiving and beyond. Donations of any size are welcome.

Yes. Sign-ups for the Friendly Neighbor Call Team will close on November 20, 2020, at midnight. The list may close sooner if the need has been met.

There will be an option to sign-up as a Reservist and we will call you for service if we receive cancellations.

Yes, you can!

Join the Secret Santa Gift Bag Team – Adopt a senior or two and provide them with holiday gift bags. These bags are supplies that provide the seniors’ items they regularly need and a fun item or two. A list of suggested items is provided and completed bags can be dropped off at Meals on Wheels.

Join the Gobble Gobble Gang for Animeals – The beloved pets of homebound seniors are not forgotten this year. Dry kibble is needed to feed the 1,300 pets of homebound seniors. Pet food can be dropped off at Meals on Wheels in Midtown Houston.

Join the Friendsgiving Team – You can sign-up to fundraise with your very own Friendsgiving Campaign! Social media posts and emails to your family and friends have had great success in the past as you ask for their help providing holiday meals for seniors on Thanksgiving Day and beyond.

Donate – Would you like to have an impact but can’t commit to the other volunteer opportunities? For every $5 gift, a senior can receive a meal for Thanksgiving and beyond. Donations of any size are welcome.

There are 5 ways to get involved this Thanksgiving, and all of them can be done virtually or in a socially distanced manner.

1. Join the Friendly Neighbor Call Team – to deliver some holiday joy to homebound seniors via a personal phone call on Thanksgiving morning. Each volunteer/family sign-up will be provided access to a list of approximately 10 seniors to call between 10:00 am and 12:00 pm noon on Thanksgiving Day – Thursday, November 26, 2020. These calls will be made via a Virtual Phone Bank, to which our volunteers will be granted access. NO need to use your own phone number – You will be assigned a local area code and number and be good to go! Training will be provided as the event nears.

2. Join the Secret Santa Gift Bag Team – Adopt a senior or two and provide them with holiday gift bags. These bags are supplies that provide the seniors’ items they regularly need and a fun item or two. A list of suggested items is provided and completed bags can be dropped off at Meals on Wheels. All completed bags can be dropped off at Meals on Wheels for Greater Houston, located at 3202 San Jacinto, Houston, TX 77004. A facial mask is required on our campus. Drop off times: Monday – Thursday 11am – 1pm and Friday 9am – 1pm. Our offices will be closed on Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day. 

3. Join the Gobble Gobble Gang for Animeals – The beloved pets of homebound seniors are not forgotten this year. Dry kibble is needed to feed the 1,300 pets of homebound seniors. Pet food can be dropped off at Meals on Wheels for Greater Houston, located at 3202 San Jacinto, Houston, TX 77004. A facial mask is required on our campus. Drop off times: Monday – Thursday 11am – 1pm and Friday 9am – 1pm. Our offices will be closed on Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day. 

4. Join the Friendsgiving Team – Peer to Peer Fundraising is one of the most powerful ways for the community to get involved. Start a Friendsgiving campaign with family and friends to help feed seniors this Thanksgiving.

5. Donate – Would you like to have an impact but can’t commit to the other volunteer opportunities? For every $5 gift, a senior can receive a meal for Thanksgiving and beyond. Donations of any size are welcome.

    • To participate as a Friendly Neighborhood Caller, a phone is not required, but the device being used to access the Virtual Phone Bank must have a functional microphone. We recommend testing this feature before you sign-up, as it is required for the Virtual Phone Bank to work, as intended. Interfaith Ministries will provide you with access to a virtual phone bank and a local phone number. You will make the calls from your device, using its microphone. You will not need to use your personal phone. The phone bank will dial and track your calls for you! How cool is that?
    • For the holiday gift bags, after you register we will email you a list of the suggested items, size, and quantity to purchase and deliver. Assembled gift bags can be delivered to Meals on Wheels Monday – Thursday, 11 am – 1 pm or Friday, 9 am – 1 pm. You may drop them off at Meals on Wheels, 3202 San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77004 October 1 – December 11, except for Veterans Day and November 26 and 27 in observance of Thanksgiving.
    • To participate with the Gobble Gobble Gang – you can bring dry pet food to Meals on Wheels Monday – Thursday, 11 am – 1 pm or Friday, 9 am – 1 pm. You may drop them off at Meals on Wheels, 3202 San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77004 October 1 – December 11, except for Veterans Day and November 26 and 27 in observance of Thanksgiving.
    • To join the Friendsgiving Team – click here to start your personal fundraising page

This event is virtual! You can make calls from your living room, bedroom, backyard…wherever you feel most comfortable! A quiet place, with minimal background noise, is recommended.

This event is virtual, but we want to make sure you have the best chance of reaching the seniors you’re calling. We will let them know to expect a call between 10:00 AM and 12 noon on Thanksgiving Day.

Holiday Gift bags for seniors and pet food for their companions can be dropped off at Meals on Wheels for Greater Houston, located at 3202 San Jacinto, Houston, TX 77004. A facial mask is required on our campus. Drop off times: Monday – Thursday 11am – 1pm and Friday 9am – 1pm. Our offices will be closed on Veterans Day and Thanksgiving Day. 

A brief training will be provided virtually, for the Friendly Neighbor Call team. Stay tuned to your email for details!

Of course! Families and children are welcome to help out! This is a great opportunity for families to volunteer together, right in their own homes!

Friendly Neighbor Call Team Remember: Many of our seniors are hard of hearing, so we encourage you to speak one at a time and as clearly as you can. 😊

This activity will take no more than one or two hours. You are calling Meals on Wheels seniors and wishing them “Happy Thanksgiving”. With some, the conversation may naturally flow. Others may be brief interactions. All will make a big impact!

Friendly Neighbor Call Volunteers will be using a Virtual Phone Banking tool. Volunteers will be able to quickly and seamlessly dial landline and cell phone numbers with the click of a button from within any browser or device, all from a local area code number. More in-depth training will be provided to volunteers, as our event nears.

You do not have to fundraise to participate. But, more than ever, homebound seniors need your help. This is why we are asking you to help us raise $55,000 to provide holiday meals to seniors in need. For every $5 you give, IM’s Meals on Wheels can provide a senior with a holiday meal.

Peer to Peer fundraising is a great way to maximize your impact! By using the peer to peer fundraising tool, you and your friends or family can work together to raise even more funds to help provide holiday meals to seniors. Peer to Peer fundraising is a great way to propel your toward your fundraising goal and help even more seniors this Thanksgiving.

 Join the Friendsgiving Team

Special Thanks To Our Sponsors

Presenting Sponsor

Silver Turkey Sponsor

Media Sponsor

Bronze Turkey Sponsor

Dr. Faraz Khan & Mrs. Hina Syed

Thanksgiving Turkey Sponsor

Willard Boss

Mary Gracely

Wesley Ray Harrott

Barbara Mackey

April McGee

Marilyn Thompson

WellMed Charitable

Basted Turkey Sponsor

Roberta Burroughs

Patricia Chazen

Comerica Bank

Edward Kaminski

Warren Kolar

Moody National Bank

Dru Aaron Neikirk

Jane C. Schmitt

Suzanne Spotts

Jack Threet