A local pastor who has been feeding thousands of families over the last nine years is now asking for help after making the decision to cancel this year's Thanksgiving meal.

Pastor Reggie Stutzman says with the holiday just weeks away, they are starting from the ground up and need anything from canned food to boxes of nonperishable items so he and his family can help serve the community.

Over nearly the past decade, his family has served 8,500 warm meals at The Point on Garrison Avenue with the help of the Bowery Mission. The pastor says due to miscommunication, they have no warm food to provide this year.

So starting this week, the Prodigal Center on Tiffany Avenue is hoping to find another way to make Thanksgiving special by packing at least 250 bags of food.

The pastor says that while warm food won't be provided this year, he hopes the tote bags full of food will give comfort to Hunts Point families.

The bags will be handed out Monday, Nov. 25 at 1283 Westchester Ave. at 12:30 p.m.