With Thanksgiving less than a week away, people across the country are giving thanks for their blessings, but what about those less fortunate? Thanks to the help of a local church, now they too have more to be thankful for.

While most of us find ourselves excited to spend time with family, one church is recognizing the fact that many people don't even have a Thanksgiving dinner to look forward. The first Presbyterian Church in Hazard boxed up turkey, corn, and other Thanksgiving Day favorites for those less fortunate.

Two hundred people, with no guarantee of where their next meal is coming from, were able to celebrate Thanksgiving a little early Saturday.

"We just saw a need in the community. We have a lot of folks that really don't have a happy Thanksgiving and we just want to give back to our community," said Chairman Grady Varney.

All volunteers, men and women of the church, cooked, packaged and delivered about one hundred meals to homeless shelters, shut-ins, and other families in need across the area. The church also catered a Thanksgiving feast in the church welcoming those in the community to join in fellowship.

"Our church, members of our church come up with most of the money and donations, then all the members sign up to bring a dish so we probably have 40 to 60 members practicing," Grady said.

"It's a team effort from our entire church for this project to be successful," said Volunteer Velva Varney.

After hours of preparing the meal, volunteers say they enjoy helping the hardworking families of the community.

"It's just something we feel like we need and we want to do for the community," Velva said.

The First Presbyterian Church delivered Thanksgiving meals to the spouse abuse center, homeless shelter, and low income apartment complexes. While delivering meals for about eight years, this is the first year they welcomed individuals into their church for a sit down Thanksgiving meal, but hopes to make it a lasting tradition.