Thousands of volunteers have poured into Downtown Arlington this November to help families in need enjoy Thanksgiving dinner.

It's an annual effort by Mission Arlington to make the holiday special for families in the Metroplex, focusing primarily on communities in Arlington and Grand Prairie.

Approximately 6,000 volunteers will gather at Mission Arlington's main office (210 W. South Street) at 8 a.m. Thursday, November 26, 2015, to deliver turkeys, turkey baskets and hot meals to people in need.

While the official start time is 8 a.m. on Thursday, residents are welcome to come volunteer any time they are available.

Volunteers are needed in the days leading up to Thanksgiving to help sort and box the food that is donated, attach maps to each delivery, and so much more.

Last year, thanks to Mission Arlington and the help of volunteers, about 6,000 families (26,000 people) were served dinner on Thanksgiving Day.

If you want to bring a group to volunteer, before Thanksgiving, or on Thanksgiving day, call Mission Arlington at 817-277-6620, ext. 6143. You can find more information on Mission Arlington's website.

You can also read and watch Mission Arlington Executive Director Tillie Burgin's American Dream story, where she talks about the importance of helping people in need.