Where to get free Thanksgiving dinner in Dayton area

Credit: Ryan Benyi Photography

Credit: Ryan Benyi Photography

Dayton-area churches, restaurants and community kitchens are preparing free Thanksgiving meals for distribution.

Due to COVID-19 most organizations are opting for a drive-thru style giveaway to practice social distancing but ensure that they feed all those who want a meal this year.

“We’re not opening our building to people coming in, but we’re going to line out the parking lot and have them drive thru and we’ll have the food bagged and handed to them depending on the number of meals they need,” said Pastor David Renfro of Evangel Church of God. They will also have a separate line for walkups as all are welcome.

Dinners will consist of turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans, and sweet potatoes placed in to-go containers and bagged for patrons.

Renfro said they expect record numbers this year but not solely because of the pandemic. “The reason we’re anticipating more is because the Dayton convention center isn’t doing their annual Thanksgiving luncheon.”

Dinner will be handed out from noon to 3 p.m. in the church parking lot at 132 N. Smithville Road. For questions or more information call (937) 253-8342.

Other free meals for Thanksgiving include:

Miami Valley Meals

From 9 a.m. to noon on Nov. 25 the day before Thanksgiving day those in need of a meal or to see a friendly face can go to the University of Dayton Arena or to the Trotwood-Madison High School. Frozen meals will be served in single or family sizes in a drive-thru style. All are welcome to get a meal to-go holiday dinner with turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, green bean casserole, a dinner roll, and a pumpkin dessert.

For more information visit https://miamivalleymeals.com/

House of Bread

The House of Bread, a community kitchen located at 9 Orth Ave. off West Riverview Avenue, will serve a traditional Thanksgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. They offer a hot meal everyday of the year and all are welcome. For more information, visit www.houseofbread.org or call 937-226-1520.

El Sombrero

Mexican restaurant, El Sombrero, will offer a traditional Thanksgiving day meal for the 26th year at 700 N. County Road 25A in Troy. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thanksgiving day meals will be available for pick up in a two lane drive thru in the restaurant parking lot. Dinners will be bagged based on family sized and handed to patrons through the window. There will be no deliveries. All food that is left over will be donated to area food kitchens.

For more information, call 937-339-2100 or visit http://www.elsombrerotroy.com/

St. Luke Missionary Baptist Church

The church will hand out boxes of food for a Thanksgiving dinner for families to prepare. The boxes include a turkey and food for a family of four. The drive-up Thanksgiving food box giveaway is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 at the church, 2262 N. Gettysburg Ave., Dayton. Families in need of food for the Thanksgiving holiday should register by calling the church at 937-279-9322.

TELL US ABOUT YOUR FREE THANKSGIVING COMMUNITY MEALS

Is your organization giving back to the community on Thanksgiving? Let us know via email @ india.duke@coxinc.com and we’ll add it to the list.

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