QUINCY, ILL. -- Thanksgiving is a time for friends, family, and food.

But for families who had nowhere to go this holiday season, the Quincy Salvation Army invited them into it's house for the largest Thanksgiving dinner in the area.  

The large open gym was turned into a dining hall for the close to hundreds of people who were served.

"Our crew got together and turned this whole place over. Yesterday, in the morning, people were out here playing basketball. In fact, I was out here playing basketball and now today look, it's a dining room," says Major Dan Jennings.

But coordinating the first ever Thanksgiving meal in the new Kroc Center for close to 500 people...?

Major Dan Jennings says, "It actually takes months of preparation."

"A lot of preparation, a lot of dedication, making sure everything comes out in a timely manner, and everything is cooked to standard," says Chef Brad Darnell.

And it's enough food to make your jaw drop. Chef Brad Darnell cooked 28 turkeys... That's 120 pounds of meat.

"About the same for everything else as far as the stuffing, 120 some pounds. Green beans, 120 pounds, 500 rolls, about 40 gallons of tea," says Darnell.

"It's really a very coordinated event and then our volunteer coordinator works very diligently, really, all year long signing people up for the Thanksgiving meal," says Major Jennings.

The volunteers today helped to serve the hundreds of people who count on the Salvation Army for their Thanksgiving dinner.

Volunteer coordinator Debbie McCluer says, "It's amazing that people are so willing to be so giving on a holiday when they can be with their family, and they're here. Not only are they here, but they're bringing their families here to serve."

And the ones who are served, come back year after year.

"I can't remember, it's been a long time, several years. I think it's wonderful that they can do things like this," says Shirley Aden.

Major Jennings says, "We like it so much, we repeat the whole thing again on Christmas day."

Volunteers also delivered almost 200 meals this Thanksgiving to people who weren't able to make it out of their houses.