Join us this holiday season in supporting seniors across Durham County!
Our Holiday Programs offer meaningful ways to make a direct impact—from delivering festive Thanksgiving meals to donating or wrapping gifts that brighten the days of our cherished clients.
Whether you volunteer your time or contribute a donation, your support helps bring warmth, joy, and connection to older adults who might otherwise spend the holidays alone. Together, we can make sure every senior feels remembered and cared for.
Get involved today and make this season unforgettable!
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Thanksgiving Meal Delivery
Start your Thanksgiving by giving back to our Durham neighbors! On November 26, Meals on Wheels Durham will once again partner with The Durham Rescue Mission to deliver hot Thanksgiving meals to our clients.
Bring your family, friends or coworkers and spend part of your morning delivering a warm meal and a friendly visit to an older adult in our community. It’s a meaningful way to kick off the holiday—and don’t worry, you’ll be home in plenty of time for your own Thanksgiving traditions!
Event Details:
Date: November 26, 2026
Time: 10 am - Noon
Meal Pick Up: Durham Rescue Mission (1201 E Main St, Durham, NC)
We're looking for approximately 50 dedicated drivers to make this event a success. Come be a part of this special holiday tradition!
Email Carlee Nicoll, MOWD's Volunteer Impact Coordinator, at carlee@mowdurham.org if you are interested in volunteering.
Volunteers will pick up meals at The Durham Rescue Mission on Thursday, November 26. Meals will be loaded into vehicles.
Route details will go live on the Mobile Meals App the morning of delivery.
If a client is not home to deliver meals, volunteers can leave a message of delivery attempt, and can give extra meals to the next client.
Holiday Gift Program
Spread Holiday Cheer with Meals on Wheels Durham! This December, every Meals on Wheels Durham client will unwrap a thoughtful gift personally selected from our curated list, thanks to the generosity of neighbors like you.
To ensure every senior receives their holiday surprise on time, please join us in one of the following ways:
- Donate funds to provide a wrapped, personalized gift for a local senior.
- Adopt a Route and help fulfill gift wishes for several clients.
- Volunteer at one of our festive wrapping parties in early December.
Help us reach our goal by December 11, so we can begin deliveries the following week. Together, we can make this holiday season brighter for Durham’s seniors!
Adopt one or more delivery routes and sponsor gifts for the clients along those routes.
Choose how you’d like to participate:
- Donate funds — and our team will purchase, wrap, and deliver the gifts for you.
- Shop directly — receive your clients’ gift selections and purchase the gifts yourself through our Amazon Wish List.
To get started, please email Abagail Dawkins, Director of Operations, at abagial@mowdurham.org to receive your list of clients, their gift selections, and the total cost for your route.
Please have all gifts delivered to our office by December 4 so our elves (a.k.a. volunteers!) can ensure every senior receives their presents in time for Christmas.
Share the Joy This Holiday Season! A donation provides a thoughtful, beautifully wrapped gift for a senior in our community — a small gesture that brings big smiles and holiday cheer. You can donate online, by cash, or by check (please note “Holiday Gift Program” in the memo line).
Your gift of giving:
- $30 = One joy-filled gift for a senior
- $300 = Grants holiday wishes for 10 seniors
- $600 = Spreads cheer to 20 homes across Durham
Every dollar helps brighten the holidays for the seniors we serve. Together, let’s make this season truly magical!
Holiday Volunteering
Join us in making this holiday season extra special for homebound seniors. As a volunteer, you can be the reason for their smiles and warmth during this festive time. Your efforts will bring holiday cheer and connection to those who might otherwise spend this season alone or far from loves ones. Help us make their holidays brighter by dedicating your time and spreading joy to those in need.
Our holiday shop fills up with gifts for clients, and MOWD relies on the help of volunteer elves to work some magic with ribbons and bows!
In early December, Meals on Wheels Durham hosts on-site gift-wrapping parties. You and a group of coworkers and friends can join in, wrapping gifts to the cheerful tunes of holiday music. Gift Wrapping Parties will be announced soon.
After the gifts are wrapped and delivered—it's time to eat!
Since 1980, MOWD and the Judea Reform Congregation have come together to provide a hot, festive meal to our clients around Christmas. This year's Christmas meal delivery day will be announced soon.
If you or a group are interested in delivering these special holiday meals, please get in touch with Carlee Nicoll, Volunteer Impact Coordinator, at carlee@mowdurham.org.