SCHUYLKILL COUNTY -- While many people are able to leave their homes and sit down for Thanksgiving meals in our area, some cannot.
There is a group in Schuylkill County that brings the meals to the people who need them.
There were so many volunteers packed into the Knights of Columbus building in Pottsville that you could barely move. They're preparing more than 1,000 Thanksgiving meals. The food was then loaded into cars and delivered.
The Chiccini family came out, in part, to teach their children a life lesson. Mother Katina Chiccini said that's important.
"Try to bring them up the right way just to let them know they are fortunate and there are people that are not, and if we can help them, I wish I can help them more, I wish I could give them more than a hot meal."
The Chiccini's first delivery was in Cumbola, at the home of Sue Russell.
Sue has fallen on hard times. She says her fiance died. She lost him and his income. She has little food, no TV or phone, not even a car.
She was surprised at the size of her Thanksgiving dinner.
"Oh, roast turkey, corn. Is that mashed potatoes?" Russell said.
Sue Russell said she is thankful for what she got.
"I think it's great that the Knights of Columbus are here. God bless them."
Grand Knight Tom Kurek explained that 1,600 meals were delivered this Thanksgiving Day. That's about a 20 percent increase from last year.
"I think the economy in our area is as bad as it was in 2008. We still haven't recovered from the recession."
Knights of Columbus officials say, even if requests go up next year, they will not turn anyone away.