Simsbury Family Celebrates 25 Years Of Delivering Thanksgiving Meals To Those Struggling Economically

Gabel Basket Brigade

SIMSBURY, CT – A local initiative aimed at helping all families enjoy holiday meals this time of year is celebrating a milestone birthday this year, with folks urged to help them help others.

What began around a Simsbury family’s dining room table in 1999 has grown into one of the Farmington Valley’s most enduring community traditions.

This year, the Gabel Basket Brigade celebrates its 25th anniversary, marking a quarter-century of neighbors coming together to provide full Thanksgiving dinners to families experiencing hardship.

This year, the need is the greatest the organization has ever seen.

With the recent federal government shutdown causing economic uncertainty, on top of rising food prices, families across the region are facing increated grocery costs and limited assistance.

Requests for help have skyrocketed.

“We will not turn away a single family,” said Donna Gabel, who co-founded the Basket Brigade with her husband Cory. “We have been doing this for 25 years, and we’ve seen hard seasons before – but this one is different. Every family should be able to sit around a table with the people they love. If we can help make that happen, we will.”

Over the past 25 years, the Brigade has:

• Built more than 13,000 baskets
• Provided meals to over 70,000 people
• Delivered nearly 160,000 pounds of turkey
• Expanded to serve families in Connecticut and Texas

The Basket Brigade works with local partner Gnazzo’s Food Center in Plainville to purchase turkeys and ingredients in advance, ensuring every basket includes all the traditional fixings for a full Thanksgiving meal.

Volunteers will gather the weekend before Thanksgiving (Nov. 22-23) in Burlington, Simsbury, and Texas to assemble baskets and deliver them directly to families.

“This community has never been the kind to look away,” said Cory Gabel. “If our neighbor needs something, we show up. We’re giving families one good day – one meal where they can sit, breathe, and be together. And it only happens because people here step up. Whether it’s donating $35 for a basket, giving an hour to help assemble meals, or simply spreading the word — every contribution helps feed a neighbor. ”

How to Help

The most meaningful way to support this effort is by helping the Gabels fund the baskets and a contribution of any size goes directly toward a family’s Thanksgiving meal.

• Donate: $35 provides one full basket
• Volunteer: If you choose to join us on a build site in Burlington or Simsbury on Sunday, Nov. 23, consider sponsoring the basket you’ll be assembling.
• Sponsor: Group and business sponsorships welcome

Founded in 1999, the Gabel Basket Brigade is a grassroots, all-volunteer effort dedicated to providing families with complete Thanksgiving meals.

For donation or volunteer information, click on this link.