MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Nearly 9,000 people will benefit from the help of volunteers this Thanksgiving.

They prepared baskets at Memphis Depot Industrial Park and delivered them to households.

WREG spoke with a woman who said that generous giving is the only reason she isn’t going to go without this holiday.

More than 2,000 boxes are going to needy families in the area.

“I just thank you so much,” an emotional Ella Bobo said.

The 82-year-old is one of many living on a fixed income. That’s why she got excited when volunteers with Feed the Needy knocked on her door.

“I thank them from the bottom of my heart about the baskets because we wasn’t getting nothing over here,” she said.

Hundreds of families struggling to make ends meet are also getting Thanksgiving baskets because of volunteers.

Nearly 200 volunteers spent the morning packing boxes, sealing them up and delivering them to homes.

“Today the family will get like a 12- to 15-pound turkey with all the produce and then we have a hot box with all the nonperishable items in there,” Ruth Banks with Feed The Needy said.

Banks said she understands how people in need feel when they receive the baskets.

“When I was a child growing up, the fraternity and sorority used to come and bring us food on Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays because we didn’t have anything, so I know how these recipients are going to feel today to receive the food baskets,” she explained.

Businesses, churches, Memphis firefighters and Memphis Police were some of the volunteers.