Volunteer for Thanksgiving 2026

pull up a chair in the kitchen.

Every Thanksgiving, more than 500 volunteers help us pack and deliver over 3,000 complete Thanksgiving meals to neighbors across Pittsburgh. No experience needed. Bring your family, your friends, or your whole team.

Pick your shift See the shifts
A large group of YINZgiving volunteers together on Thanksgiving
the yinzgiving crew

Three ways to help

in the kitchen, the lot, or on the road.

Volunteers prepping salads in the kitchen

kitchen crew

Prep, portion, and pack complete Thanksgiving meals. If you can follow a checklist and keep a good attitude, you're exactly who we need.

  • Tuesday, Nov 2411 AM to 3:30 PM or 3 to 6:30 PM
  • Wednesday, Nov 258 AM to 12:30 PM or 12 to 4 PM
  • Thursday, Nov 268 AM to 12 PM
A volunteer delivering a Thanksgiving meal

delivery drivers

Pick up packed meals and bring them to neighbors' doorsteps. Drive your own car, or ride along with someone who is driving. Meals are left at the door; no one goes inside a home.

  • Thursday, Nov 2610:30 AM to 12:30 PM

Arrival times are staggered by delivery area so the lot doesn't back up. You'll get your exact arrival time within this window closer to Thanksgiving. Please come with your trunk and back seat empty.

parking lot crew

Load boxes of meals into drivers' cars at our four loading stations and keep traffic moving through the lot. You'll be outdoors, on your feet, and lifting boxes for most of the shift. It's fast, high-energy, and the heartbeat of Thanksgiving morning.

Dress for the weather. Wear warm layers, a hat and gloves, and sturdy closed-toe shoes, and plan for cold, wind, or rain.

  • Thursday, Nov 269 AM to 12:30 PM

FAQ

good questions.

Don't see yours? Email [email protected] and we'll get back to you.

Do I need any experience?
None. We'll walk you through everything when you arrive. Show up ready to help and we'll put you to work.
Where do I park?
Tuesday and Wednesday volunteers park in the Dive Bar & Grille lot. On Thanksgiving morning, volunteers park across the street, and signs will be posted. Delivery drivers pull right into the Dive Bar & Grille lot at their assigned arrival time, load up, and head out on their route.
Is there a group photo?
Yes, and we want you in it. We're taking one big group photo on Thanksgiving morning at 10:30 AM. If your shift or arrival time is later, come early, park across the street, and jump in.
Can I bring my kids?
Yes. Volunteers of all ages are welcome. Anyone under 18 needs to come with a parent or guardian.
Can I sign up a group?
Yes. Fill out the form once and enter how many people are coming. Every person in your group counts toward that shift's spots, so if your group is larger than 10, email us first and we'll find the best fit. Delivery is the one exception: those spots are counted by car, so a driver can bring passengers along.
What does the parking lot crew do?
Parking lot crew volunteers work outdoors at our four loading stations on Thanksgiving morning. You'll be standing for most of the shift, lifting boxes of meals into drivers' cars, and helping direct traffic through the lot. Please dress for the weather with warm layers, a hat, gloves, and sturdy closed-toe shoes, and be ready for cold, wind, or rain.
What should I wear?
Closed-toe shoes and comfortable layers for everyone. Kitchen volunteers should plan to tie back long hair. Parking lot crew will be outdoors and on their feet the whole shift, so dress warmly for the weather with a hat, gloves, and sturdy shoes. Drivers, dress for a cold Thanksgiving morning.
When do delivery drivers arrive?
Deliveries run from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM on Thanksgiving, so please plan to be available for that whole window. Arrival times within it are staggered by delivery area so everyone isn't pulling into the lot at once. We'll email and text your exact arrival time closer to Thanksgiving, once we know how many drivers are in each area.
What do delivery drivers need?
A valid driver's license and an insured vehicle. Please arrive with your trunk and back seat empty so we can fit as many meals as possible. Gas and tolls are on you, and meals are left at the doorstep only. Passengers are welcome to ride along with a driver who has signed up. If you're driving with passengers, list them on your sign-up.
What if my shift is full?
Full shifts are marked on the sign-up form, and you can join the waitlist for that shift. We'll reach out if a spot opens up.
What if I can't make it anymore?
Email [email protected] as soon as you know so we can give your spot to someone else.

Sign up

save your spot.

Takes about three minutes, and you're done in one sitting. You'll get a confirmation email from [email protected] as soon as you're in.

1 Pick your shift
2 Tell us about you

Emergency contact

3 Read and sign your agreement

This is the whole thing, and this is the only time you'll sign it. Read it below, check the box, and type your name. Nothing else to sign later.

YINZgiving Volunteer Agreement

Thanksgiving 2026 · November 24, 25, and 26, 2026 · All volunteer shifts

Thank you for volunteering with YINZgiving! Your support helps us bring a complete Thanksgiving meal to neighbors across Pittsburgh.

To ensure a safe, smooth experience, please carefully review the following responsibilities and acknowledgments. This Agreement applies to every volunteer and every shift. Sections 1(b) and 1(c) apply only to volunteers serving on delivery routes, as noted.

  1. Volunteer Responsibilities. You agree to serve as an unpaid volunteer at the YINZgiving meal preparation and distribution event on November 24, 25, and/or 26, 2026 (the "Event"). Your duties and responsibilities as a volunteer at the Event are set forth below:
    1. All Volunteers. As a volunteer, you may be responsible for preparing, portioning, packing, sorting, transporting, and/or delivering meals, as directed by the Event's organizers. You agree to follow all food safety and handling instructions provided by the Event's organizers, and to not open, consume, remove, or otherwise tamper with the meals in any manner whatsoever, except as directed by the Event's organizers.
    2. Delivery Volunteers (Drivers and Passengers). If you serve on a delivery route, whether as a driver or a passenger, you agree to complete each meal delivery at the meal recipient's doorstep, and to not enter any meal recipient's home under any circumstances.
    3. Delivery Drivers. If you serve as a delivery driver, you are required to use your personal vehicle for transportation in connection with the Event. You acknowledge that you hold a valid driver's license and that your vehicle is insured and otherwise legally permitted for road use. You agree to drive cautiously and to avoid hazardous weather conditions and/or unsafe areas. You agree to provide the make, model, and license plate number of your vehicle to the Event's organizers. You are responsible for the safe transport of any passengers riding in your vehicle.
    4. Safe Conduct. During your participation in the Event, you are required to act safely, responsibly, and in accordance with all applicable laws. If, during your participation in the Event, you encounter any unsafe conditions or are otherwise unable to complete your volunteer duties for any reason, please contact the Event organizers immediately for assistance.
    5. No Compensation. You acknowledge and agree that your participation in the Event is solely in an unpaid volunteer capacity and that you will not receive or be entitled to any monetary or any other form of compensation for your participation in the Event. You agree that any costs for gas, parking, tolls, or any other travel or vehicle-related expenses are your sole responsibility and that the Event will not reimburse you for any such expenses.
    6. Background. You further acknowledge and agree that you have never been convicted of a felony, and that you are not currently charged with, under investigation for, or listed on any registry for, any crime involving abuse, neglect, violence, or exploitation of children, elders, or vulnerable persons.
  2. Liability. In volunteering for the Event, you agree to assume all risks of injury, accident, and/or damages that may occur during your participation in the Event, including, without limitation, risks associated with food preparation, kitchen work, lifting and carrying, and travel to and from delivery locations. You agree to waive, release, discharge, and hold harmless the Event's organizers from, against, and with respect to any and all manner of actions, causes of action, complaints, claims, demands, costs, fees, damages, liabilities, losses, and expenses of any nature whatsoever arising out of or relating to your participation in the Event.
  3. Photo and Media Release. You grant YINZgiving permission to photograph, film, and record you during the Event, and to use your name, image, likeness, and voice in social media, websites, promotional materials, press, and fundraising materials, without compensation to you.
  4. Confidentiality. You agree to not divulge, publish, or otherwise make public any personal information about any meal recipient that you may learn while volunteering at the Event.
  5. At-Will Relationship. You will be serving in an at-will capacity, which means that either you or the Event's organizers have the right to terminate the volunteer relationship at any time, for any reason.
  6. Entire Agreement. This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between you and the Event's organizers, and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous agreements, understandings, negotiations, or representations, whether oral or written, express or implied, in relation to the Event.

Thank you again for your generosity and commitment to making Thanksgiving special for our community!

Acknowledgment. I have read this Agreement in its entirety and agree to the foregoing terms and conditions of my volunteer service at the YINZgiving Event. By checking the box below and typing my full name, I am signing this Agreement electronically.

Keep scrolling to the end of the agreement to continue.

Download a copy for your records