Thousands of Thanksgiving meals served to help families across central North Carolina

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- Hundreds of volunteers across the Triangle at various events spent Thanksgiving giving back to people in need.

The Durham Rescue Mission brought people together in the Bull City. More than 3,100 meals were serves and 1,400 bags of groceries were distributed.

"You see the community all team together to serve each other, it's just really a privilege to see," said Adam Todd from the Durham Rescue Mission.

The Raleigh Rescue Mission hosted similar affair and for the second year, the food truck Soul in a Bowl and the nonprofit Woven and Friends partnered up.

There was a steady line by the food truck for breakfast and lunch.

Homecooked meals, complete with all the trimmings, came from organizer Tranita Alexander's mom's kitchen in Lumberton straight to plates in the heart of Downtown Raleigh.

"It's sometimes hard to believe we are able to pull this together for so many people," said Tranita Alexander from Soul in a Bowl. "To know that our community supports us, to help in donations, whether they're monetary or actual items, to help us mean the needs of those around us is amazing."

Hundreds of meals were handed out and folks also were able to get some cold weather gear -- everything from foot warmers and scarves to emergency blankets.

The response was overwhelming.

"We were just setting up and we could barely get the tables down before people started coming up," said Woven and Friends Betty Jo Howard-Jackson. "The main thing is providing the need, meeting the need."

The nonprofits said this day of service is not just about giving food, but also offering fellowship so people don't feel alone on a holiday.