Austin Thanksgiving volunteering: Where to help in 2025

Central Texas Food Bank volunteer Tina Bryant gives groceries to people in line at a distribution at Nelson Field on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. The government shutdown has interrupted SNAP funding, increasing demand at food distribution sites across the city.
Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman

Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, Nov. 27 this year. Maybe you’re spending the day solo. Maybe because 43-day federal shutdown and the freeze on SNAP benefits pushed more families to food banks, you're feeling the need to give back to your community. Whatever your reason, there are plenty of ways to show up, meet people and plug into real community this holiday week.

Here are some places to lend a hand:

ThunderCloud Subs Turkey Trot (benefiting Caritas of Austin)

If you want Thanksgiving morning energy — the crowds, the costumes, the downtown buzz — the Turkey Trot is the move. The 35th annual run takes over downtown on Thursday, Nov. 27, with more than 20,000 participants raising money for Caritas of Austin, which supports people experiencing homelessness.

What to expect:

The busiest, most social shifts are race day water stations and course support — you’re shoulder-to-shoulder cheering on runners. Packet pickup shifts run Nov. 25 and 26, and race morning check-in starts early. Sign-ups are on the Trot website and the Caritas events page.

Operation Turkey (multiple Austin locations)

Operation Turkey is one of the largest grassroots Thanksgiving efforts in Texas — all volunteer-run, no paid staff. Their teams cook, box and deliver hot Thanksgiving meals to people experiencing homelessness and families who can’t afford a holiday dinner.

What to expect:

If you want the full experience, show up at the huge Turkey Tailgate on Wednesday, Nov. 26 at Dave & Buster’s in North Austin, where volunteers smoke turkeys and prep sides late into the night. On Thanksgiving morning, you can cook, box meals or hop onto delivery routes across Austin, Cedar Park and Round Rock — it’s fast-paced, welcoming and very community-driven. Register at OperationTurkey.com to choose your site and get your exact shift details.

Central Texas Food Bank

The food bank is entering one of its busiest seasons, especially coming off a fall where SNAP freezes pushed demand higher. Volunteers are essential to keeping shelves stocked for the thousands of families who visit partner pantries every week.

What to expect:

Warehouse shifts run daily during Thanksgiving week, with the heaviest volunteer needs Nov. 22 to 26. You’ll be sorting produce, packing boxes or helping with mobile pantries. The work is steady, social and beginner-friendly. Sign up through the “Volunteer” tab at centraltexasfoodbank.org.

Austin Empty Bowl Project

Now in its 29th year, the Austin Empty Bowl Project brings together local potters, restaurants and musicians to raise money for Central Texas Food Bank’s Kids Café and Children’s Meals programs and Meals on Wheels Central Texas’ Home Delivered Meals. The tradition is simple: Choose a handmade bowl, enjoy soup from Austin restaurants and keep the bowl as a reminder of hunger in our community.

What to expect:

The main event happens Sunday, Nov. 23, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Central Texas Food Bank, where volunteers help with bowl sales, soup stations, artist areas and crowd flow. There’s also a preview party on Saturday, Nov. 22 from 6 to 9 p.m., a ticketed evening with early bowl shopping and live music. Volunteer shifts span both days and include setup, greeting guests and helping artists lay out their work.

H-E-B Feast of Sharing

This isn’t just a meal — it’s one of Austin’s biggest holiday gatherings. H-E-B rolls in with thousands of hot plates, music, activities for kids and a festival-style setup at the Palmer Events Center on Tuesday, Nov. 25 from 4 to 8 p.m.

What to expect:

Volunteers serve meals, run kids’ activities and greet families as they arrive. The crowd is huge and the energy is festive — it’s the most “holiday party” of all the options. Registration opens on the Feast of Sharing event page at HEB.com.

Mobile Loaves & Fishes / Community First Village

Mobile Loaves & Fishes’ work doesn’t slow down for the holidays. Their food trucks head out daily with meals for unsheltered Austinites, and Community First Village is gearing up for holiday programs with residents.

What to expect:

If you sign up for a truck run, you’ll prep food and hand it out across the city — a direct, personal way to connect with people. At Community First Village, shifts include helping with seasonal events, gardening days or community gatherings. Opportunities run all Thanksgiving week at MLF.org.

Coats for Kids

Coats for Kids helps make sure Central Texas children and teens have a warm winter by collecting new and gently used coats and getting them into the hands of families who need them most.

What to expect:

You can drop off coats at the Junior League of Austin’s Community Impact Center (5330 Bluffstone Lane) from Nov. 11 through Dec. 1. Prefer to give financially? Every $20 buys a new coat, and online donations are open all season. Volunteer opportunities mainly involve sorting, organizing and prepping for Distribution Day in early December, when families arrive to choose coats for their kids.