HomeFirst’s Kitchen Will Feed 850 Unhoused People This Thanksgiving 

With two ovens and six burners, the small kitchen team of six will roast 80 turkeys, cook 14 hams, and prepare pounds of potatoes to ensure that no one goes without a meal. Preparations begin weeks in advance.

November, 2024

SAN JOSE, CA – As Thanksgiving approaches, HomeFirst is gearing up for an extraordinary challenge: the nonprofit will prepare a traditional holiday feast for 850 unhoused individuals and families residing at its shelters and interim housing sites across Santa Clara County. The meal will be cooked in HomeFirst’s central kitchen located at the Boccardo Reception Center, its largest shelter. 

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With two ovens and six burners, the small kitchen team of six will roast 80 turkeys, cook 14 hams, and prepare pounds of potatoes to ensure that no one goes without a meal. Preparations begin weeks in advance. On Thanksgiving, the team will arrive at 3:30 a.m., guaranteeing enough time for meals to be delivered by nine drivers to the nine housing sites. 

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For those served by HomeFirst, the holiday dinner is more than a meal - it is a reminder of community and hope. But this effort represents a fraction of the nonprofit’s year-round operations: HomeFirst provides three meals a day, 365 days a year, to its residents, totaling over 675,000 meals annually. 

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The scale of this endeavor underscores the larger issue of homelessness in Santa Clara County, where nearly 10,000 people are unhoused. Providing shelter is only one part of addressing this crisis - tackling food insecurity is another. Of the 10,000 people experiencing homelessness in Santa Clara County, 71% rely on free meals. In nearby counties, the numbers are similarly staggering: 57% of the approximately 2,500 unhoused people in Sonoma County access free meals, and countless more across the East Bay depend on organizations like HomeFirst for daily sustenance. 

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I invite you to witness this incredible operation and learn more about the role HomeFirst plays in combating homelessness and food insecurity. Interviews and behind-the-scenes access are available in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. 

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About HomeFirst: 

HomeFirst is a nonprofit organization passionately working to end homelessness. We serve the Bay Area community through low-barrier programming (prevention, outreach, shelters, and interim and permanent housing programs) and systems leadership – meeting each person where they are, by offering support and resources that address immediate and long-term housing needs. 

Media Contact: 

Fiona Brodie, Communications and Media Manager 

fbrodie@homefirstscc.org, (510)383-6170