God's Love We Deliver Celebrates Thanksgiving with Joan Rivers and More, 11/22

Thanksgiving is a very special time at God's Love, especially this year. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy's destruction, God's Love delivered 8,000 meals to people displaced by Sandy and 2,300 emergency meal kits called "Sandy Bags" to our clients. Last week we cooked 200 meals which our friends at Douglas Elliman brought to a group of people they've "adopted" in the Far Rockaways.

More than 900 generous volunteers will join God's Love We Deliver staff, celebrities, local politicians, and board members in preparing and delivering a record 3,400 meals for people living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life altering illnesses in New York City, and nearby Hudson County, New Jersey. We also offer each of our clients a guest meal so that they can invite a friend or family member to spend the holiday with them. These meals are delivered in a cheerful, hand-decorated bag designed by local school children.

Each household will also receive a holiday gift basket, containing crackers, oatmeal, nuts, raisins, teas, and other treats to help make the day special.

Because of Sandy and our recovery from it, God's Love had a compressed time period in which to get everything prepared for the Thanksgiving holiday, while simultaneously continuing to cook and deliver meals to our clients in the NYC metropolitan area. Everything from kitchen prep, volunteer coordination, client RSVPs and more had to be done in a few short days. Despite all the obstacles that Hurricane Sandy presented, there was never any question that we would be there for our clients and families. This is our biggest Thanksgiving feast ever and we are thankful to celebrate with our community.

Celebrities, Notables and Politicians volunteering at God's Love on Thanksgiving Day are:

Joan Rivers (10:00 a.m.) - Star entertainer and Board member
Melissa Rivers (10:00 a.m.) - Actor, television host, producer
Bill Thompson (7:30 a.m.)
Maria Del Carmen Arroyo (10:00 a.m.) - NYC Council Member, District 17 (Bronx)
Rosie Mendez (TBD) - NYC Council Member, District 2 (Manhattan)
§ Ray Kelly (TBD) - NYC Police Commissioner
Daniel Squadron (TBD) - NYS Senator (Manhattan and Brooklyn)
Yvette Clarke (10:00 a.m.) - United States Congress, District 11 (Brooklyn)
§ Leila Lopes (9:00 a.m.) - Miss Universe
Anne Keating (7:00 a.m.) - Senior VP of Public Relations, Bloomingdale's
The Imperial Court (8:30 a.m.) - A not-for-profit organization that raises funds for LGBT causes

This year's delicious home-made menu includes:

· Pumpkin Bisque Soup
· Roast Turkey with Gravy
· Cornbread Stuffing
· Carrots, Brussels Sprouts & Pearl Onions
· Sweet Potatoes
· Cranberry Relish
· Apple Raisin Cinnamon Crumble

It all takes place on Thanksgiving Day, tomorrow, Thursday, November 22, 2012, beginning at 7:00 a.m. at God's Love We Deliver, 166 Avenue of the Americas @ Spring Street in SoHo.

God's Love is the New York metropolitan area's leading provider of life-sustaining meals and nutrition counseling for people living with severe illnesses. Begun as an HIV/AIDS service organization, today God's Love provides for people living with more than 200 individual diagnoses. God's Love cooks and home delivers the specific, nutritious meals a client's severe illness and treatment so urgently require. Meals are individually tailored for each client by one of our Registered Dietitians, and all clients have access to unlimited nutrition counseling. God's Love supports families by providing meals for the children and senior caregivers of its clients. All of the agency's services are provided free of charge, and in its history of more than 25 years, God's Love We Deliver has never had a waiting list. For more information, visit www.godslovewedeliver.org. Follow God's Love on Facebook and follow them on Twitter, @godslovenyc. God's Love is a non-sectarian organization.