At Thanksgiving Betty Burton, along with over 40 volunteers, gave out over 250 dinners. She expects to give out at least as many dinners on Dec. 20.

The Vineyard Committee on Hunger’s Family to Family Thanksgiving food distribution took place on Friday, Nov. 17.

It was a bustling scene at the parish house behind First Baptist Church on Friday afternoon as volunteers organized and packaged Thanksgiving meals for families in need. Serving Hands provides monthly food distribution and on holidays the Family to Family program joins in to add holiday meals to the distribution.

On Friday afternoon, about a half dozen high school football players arrived at the First Baptist Church in Vineyard Haven. Prayer time before the big game? No, they were there to help distribute food for the Family to Family program which helps local families in need receive a Thanksgiving meal.

It has been another emotion-filled holiday season for the Family-to-Family Holiday Distribution Program.

Basting a golden turkey, the smell of pumpkin pie baking and some cranberry sauce are all part of the Thanksgiving holiday for most Island families. But for others, the day can bring disappointment rather than thanks, particularly when one’s grocery list has to be supplemented by free community food resources available just a few times a month.

To help out, Betty Burton began organizing the Family-to-Family program eight years ago as a way to provide neighbors who face financial hardship with a traditional holiday meal.