Hundreds of families in Port Chester got Thanksgiving meals on Thursday for free.

"A bag of groceries cost about $100 roughly and that goes for bills too," says Jennifer Vargas, a Port Chester resident.

The food distribution was set up by the Carver Center. About 800 families received free Thanksgiving meals. This is almost double the amount families they helped during Thanksgiving last year.

"It's such a great experience to see everyone's faces, everyone feels grateful," says Astrid Rodriguez, a volunteer at the Carver Center.

The food being distributed to families included turkeys, chicken, spices, canned foods and produce.

Families say these donations, especially around the holidays, really mean the world to them.

"This helps a lot for me to come here weekly to feed my daughter and I know here a lot of people are struggling," says Vargas.

Vargas goes to the Carver Center every week. She says it's a huge help especially around the holidays. "It's going to bring our dinner to the table at home. I know the community needs it a lot," she says.

The Carver Center says there’s a big need in the community for donations like these around the holidays. Anne Bradner, CEO of the Carver Center, says she sees Port Chester families struggling with the high cost of housing. "When they can get food provided for free and when they can choose what they want to eat, then that helps offset some of the economic stress that they're under," says Bradner.

The Carver Center worked with multiple community partners for this food distribution including the Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation and Feeding Westchester.