Caring, Sharing, and Giving Thanks in our Community

Annual Equinox Thanksgiving Day Community Dinner

In 1969, a small group of community and religious leaders, students and social workers held a Thanksgiving dinner for 200 college students who were not going home for the holiday and would have been alone. That first Annual Equinox Thanksgiving Day Community Dinner marked the beginning of the Capital District's largest and longest-running holiday tradition—a community dinner that now serves more than 8,000 of our lonely, homebound, or homeless neighbors. We believe we're the largest community dinner in the country.

On Thursday, November 26, 2009 Equinox hosted the 40th Annual Equinox Thanksgiving Day Community Dinner in the Capital District. This event would not have been possible without the help of more than 3,000 volunteers who took leadership roles in the coordination of the dinner as well as all the cooking, serving, delivering of meals, and cleaning-up.

Approximately 500 meals were served this year at a sit down dinner at the First Presbyterian Church in Albany. The remaining 8,500 meals are prepared at the Empire State Plaza and then delivered by volunteers to individuals who live within a 40 mile radius of downtown Albany.

The recipe for the dinner includes 10,400 pounds of turkey, 2,000 pounds of ham, 2,800 pounds of yams, 940 pies, 625 dozen dinner rolls, 48 gallons of cider and 19,500 pieces of fruit. Candles, flowers, table linens, and hand-made centerpieces from local school children adorn the dining room tables at the Church.

The event is funded entirely by donated cash and food. Other donations include trucks, tables, chairs, cellular phones, serving dishes, linens, aprons, soap, towels, printing of posters, advertising, and of course, the valuable time of our volunteers.

Local businesses and school groups participate by conducting food and money drives; selling our $$Dollar$$ turkeys at check-out counters; displaying our posters; and donating products, services and facilities.

Clean up of the Empire State Plaza and First Presbyterian Church begins Thanksgiving Day after the dinner and resumes on Friday at 9:00 AM.  Much help is needed to insure that the Plaza and the Church are put back in proper order and the left over food is brought to area shelters and food pantries.

Equinox is the coordinating and sponsoring agency. All surplus donations will be used to assist needy families throughout the coming year.

To volunteer to prepare or deliver meals, donate food
or money, or request a meal delivery on Thanksgiving Day,
call the Equinox Thanksgiving Dinner Hotline at 434-0131.

Click Here for Instructions for Equinox Thanksgiving Dinner Volunteers

All monetary, food, and in-kind donations
 are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law