Thanksgiving Basket Drive

Let's talk turkey. And gravy, veggies, butter and rolls.

2022 Thanksgiving Basket Drive

For the past 34 years, our Thanksgiving Basket Drive has been a tradition, with many long-serving staff, volunteers and their children returning year after year. It takes a village, that’s for certain.

This year, we registered more than 4,000 families for a Thanksgiving Basket filled with all the groceries needed for a traditional holiday meal — that’s more than 25,000 Dane County residents (including 10,000 children!). These families were counting on us and YOU, and boy did you deliver! From frozen turkeys to monetary donations, drop-offs of gravy when we were down to our last few jars, you turned out for our neighbors, and we're so grateful for that.

Thanks to our partners:

A Look at Distribution Weekend

We depend on community members to make this epic effort happen, including hundreds of volunteers. Here's a look at the people who work so hard to make Thanksgiving a success. Thank you to everyone in our community for your support!

“I am a working mom of three. With bills and the cost to run a household, my children and I depend on food pantries. This program allows me to provide a nice Thanksgiving meal for my family. Thank you all so much for your kindness and donations.”

- Thanksgiving Basket recipient

Events

We are so thankful for community partners, businesses and organizations that host events to support our Thanksgiving Basket program.

Check Out All 2022 Thanksgiving Events

A person dressed in a turkey costume surrounded by bags packed for Goodman's Thanksgiving Basket Drive.

Beth Skogen Photography

Goodman CEO Letesha Nelson smiles while volunteering at the Thanksgiving Basket Drive.

Beth Skogen Photography

A volunteer holds pints of Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream at the Goodman Center Thanksgiving Basket Drive.

Beth Skogen Photography

A volunteer lowers a cart of frozen turkeys off a truck at Goodman's Thanksgiving Basket Drive.

Beth Skogen Photography

A group of volunteers hold grocery bags at the Goodman Center Thanksgiving Basket Drive.

Beth Skogen Photography

Lead volunteer Michael smiles and hugs his daughter Olive at the Goodman Center Thanksgiving Basket Drive.

Beth Skogen Photography

Volunteers load up a car with Thanksgiving groceries at the Goodman Center Thanksgiving Basket Drive.

Beth Skogen Photography

Volunteers distribute groceries from the Goodman Center parking lot at their Thanksgiving Basket Drive.

Beth Skogen Photography

A volunteer puts milk into a cart at the Goodman Center Thanksgiving Basket Drive.

Beth Skogen Photography

A volunteer smiles in the sun at the Goodman Center Thanksgiving Basket Drive.

Beth Skogen Photography

A group of people making the letter "W" for Wisconsin with their hands, standing behind carts loaded with groceries

Red & White Hunger Fight

The Goodman Community Center's Thanksgiving Basket Drive is very thankful for our partnership with Wisconsin Badgers and the UW's Red and White Hunger Fight. Wisconsin Athletics is proud to continue its strong tradition of fighting hunger in the community.

Francesca Frisque

Food Pantry Manager
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Thank you to our 2022 sponsors!

Each year, we can only achieve our goal because of organizations that pull together and contribute tremendous amounts of food, money and time to help us organize it all. Thank you to these sponsors for giving the gift of a holiday meal to families in our community.

If your business or organization is interested in sponsoring our 2023 Thanksgiving Basket Drive, it's not too late! Contact Meghan Johnson, Corporate Giving and Events Manager, at mjohnson@goodmancenter.org or 608-204-8033.