{"id":2027,"date":"2025-12-01T21:33:56","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T21:33:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bowery.org\/updates\/?p=2027"},"modified":"2025-12-01T21:34:09","modified_gmt":"2025-12-01T21:34:09","slug":"thanksgiving-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bowery.org\/updates\/2025\/12\/thanksgiving-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"Celebrating our 146th Thanksgiving!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The busiest time of the year<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Bowery Mission hosted its cherished, time-honored tradition: the longest-running Thanksgiving meal celebration in New York City! We believe in the power of community, which is why we extended a heartfelt invitation to anyone without a home to join us around our family table on Thanksgiving Day. Our staff, volunteers and ovens worked around the clock to ensure anyone and everyone had a place to enjoy a warm meal and share in the holiday spirit. Guests enjoyed live music and received practical care kits filled with hygiene items and winter accessories. We know that a special meal at the Mission this time of the year can be the first step toward a new life out of homelessness, addiction or whatever need our neighbors face this season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Guests<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Photo credit<\/strong>: Keri Tan Photography<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The impact of your support<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Thanks to dedicated supporters, donors and volunteers, The Bowery Mission\u2019s Red Doors stay open 365 days a year to provide meals, shelter, clothing, showers and more. It\u2019s more important now than ever, as more than 105,000 people are sleeping in public shelters each night in our city, and an estimated 1 in 5 people in New York City are food insecure. We are grateful for compassionate friends like you who are showing our neighbors in need that they are not alone and that someone cares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\"Volunteers<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

During the months of October and November, we served 70,000<\/strong>\u202fmeals at multiple campuses throughout Manhattan.\u00a0On Thanksgiving Day alone, we provided more than 2,300<\/strong> meals and over 1,200<\/strong> practical care kits with hygiene items and winter accessories.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Chef<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Weeks in advance, we started working to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving meal for each guest. This included 260<\/strong> turkeys, 3,200<\/strong> pounds of potatoes and 600<\/strong> pies! Everything was home-cooked, prepared with love by our faithful staff, supporters and volunteers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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A traditional Thanksgiving dinner was hosted for overnight emergency shelter guests at our Tribeca Campus.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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\"Staff<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Our Residential Program clients at our West Harlem Campus also prepared and enjoyed Thanksgiving meals in community.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Our Mont Lawn City Camp program distributed 145<\/strong> turkeys and meal kits to families in East Harlem and the South Bronx. Each festive meal kit included pantry staples and a grocery gift card to help families create a memorable holiday feast.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Maurice\u2019s Thanksgiving journey: From homelessness to flourishing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What a difference one year makes! On Thanksgiving, Maurice found himself at The Bowery Mission, alone and disconnected from family. He received a meal that offered nourishment \u2014 but also an invitation to community, restorative for his soul. One year later, he\u2019s now a graduate of the Mission\u2019s programs, reconnected with his family and excited to host a Thanksgiving feast of his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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