Volunteers Line Up to Help Others on Thanksgiving

The spirit of giving is alive and well in Austin this Thanksgiving. Dozens of volunteers lined up at Meals on Wheels and More in East Austin Thursday morning.

The non-profit delievers hot meals to the elderly and homebound year round. This year CEO Dan Pruett says he's seen a decline in corporate donations and an increase in demand.

"Last year we would see 30 new people a month and now we're seeing 100 new people a month that call and need our services," said Pruett.

The recession has made it harder for people to give money but Pruett says they're making up for it by donating their time.
Elaine Duffy and her family postponed their Thanksgiving celebration to deliver meals this Turkey Day.

"The economy is bad and it is impacting people's lives, we realize that...there are always people in need," said Duffy.

The Salvation Army Shelter served 1,000 meals on Thursday. Managers there say people are staying for longer periods of time as they search for work. Volunteers are filling a critical gap there too. So many people want to help they started reserving volunteer spots back in August.