🎁 Holiday Help: Thanksgiving & Christmas Assistance
Princeton-Hamilton Area
Thanksgiving food • Holiday gifts • Food pantries • Ways to give back
The holiday season is a time for family, gratitude and making memories—but we know it can also be a stressful time for families who are struggling to make ends meet.
If your family could use a little extra help this holiday season, local organizations throughout our community are working to provide food, groceries, holiday gifts and other necessities.
And if you're in a position to help, there are plenty of ways to give back—from donating food and toys to sponsoring a child, volunteering or giving a grocery gift card.
Holiday programs can have specific eligibility requirements, application deadlines and limited availability. Please contact each organization directly to confirm current information before visiting.
How Can We Help?
Choose what you're looking for below.
🦃 Thanksgiving Assistance
🎁 Skeet's Food Pantry — Cranbury | 08512
📍 Location:
22 South Main Street, Cranbury, NJ 08512
What they provide:
Food assistance, including Thanksgiving and Christmas baskets.
Who can receive help:
Residents of Cranbury and surrounding communities.
📞 Phone: 609-395-0897
🥕 Princeton Mobile Food Pantry — 08540/08542
📍 Princeton, NJ
What they provide:
Fresh groceries, household staples and essentials for local families experiencing food insecurity.
Upcoming dates:
November 4 • November 18 • December 2 • December 16
📧 Email: info@pmfpantry.org
❤️ Arm In Arm — Princeton | 08542
📍 Location:
61 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542
What they provide:
Food assistance and support for local families.
Arm In Arm also welcomes holiday donations, including Thanksgiving food donations, holiday gifts and grocery gift cards.
🥫 Plainsboro Food Pantry — 08536
📍 Location:
641 Plainsboro Road, Plainsboro, NJ 08536
What they provide:
Food and essential household items for eligible local families.
How to get help:
Registration is required.
🎄 Christmas & Holiday Gift Assistance
🎁 Princeton Human Services Holiday Gift Drive — 08540
📍 Location:
1 Monument Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540
What they provide:
Holiday gifts for eligible Princeton children ages 0–12.
Family application deadline:
November 6, 2026
Donor deadline:
December 4, 2026
Want to help?
Community members can sponsor children and purchase gifts from their wish lists.
📞 Phone: 609-688-2055
🎄 Plainsboro Holiday Wishes — 08536
What they provide:
Holiday gifts for local families experiencing financial hardship.
Community members can select wishes from local giving trees and purchase gifts for local children and families.
📞 Phone: 609-799-0909
❤️ Catholic Charities — Mercer County | 08619
What they may provide:
Seasonal Thanksgiving and Christmas assistance for eligible Mercer County residents, along with food and other basic-needs assistance.
📍 Hamilton Office:
3840 Quakerbridge Road, Suite 100, Hamilton, NJ 08619
📞 Phone: 609-584-0790
Call ahead to ask about current 2026 holiday assistance and registration.
🥫 Local Food Assistance
🥕 JFCS of Greater Mercer County — Princeton | 08540
📍 Location:
707 Alexander Road, Princeton, NJ 08540
What they provide:
Fresh and frozen meat, dairy products, produce and shelf-stable foods.
📞 Phone: 609-987-8100
Call ahead to confirm current pantry availability and requirements.
🥫 Ginny's Pantry — Hamilton | 08619
📍 Location:
746 Klockner Road, Hamilton, NJ 08619
When:
Second Thursday of each month, 8 AM–2 PM
Registration and eligibility requirements apply.
📞 Phone: 609-587-0751
🥫 Pearson's Food Pantry — Hamilton | 08610
📍 Location:
71 Pearson Drive, Hamilton, NJ 08610
When:
Fourth Saturday of the month, 9–11 AM
What to bring:
Photo ID, proof of income, proof of residence and birth certificate for children under 12 when shopping for children.
📞 Phone: 609-888-1220
🥫 St. Raphael–Holy Angels Food Pantry — Hamilton | 08610
📍 Location:
151 Gropp Avenue, Hamilton, NJ 08610
Emergency food assistance is available for Hamilton-area families and individuals.
Income eligibility may apply. Call ahead for current pantry dates and holiday information.
📞 Phone: 609-585-3848
🥫 West Windsor Little Free Pantry — 08550
📍 Location:
952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550
The Little Free Pantry is available 24/7 and provides access to nonperishable food and household items.
Want to help?
Community members can donate appropriate nonperishable items.
🎓 Mercer County Community College Food Pantry — 08550
📍 West Windsor Campus:
1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, NJ 08550
The MCCC Food Pantry helps students experiencing food insecurity.
Pantry Hours:
Monday & Tuesday, 10 AM–3 PM
Students should complete the pantry signup/appointment process before visiting.
❤️ Ways to Give Back
🥫 Donate Thanksgiving Food
Consider donating shelf-stable Thanksgiving staples such as:
- Stuffing
- Canned vegetables
- Cranberry sauce
- Gravy
- Mashed potatoes
- Canned fruit
- Pasta and sauce
- Cereal
- Peanut butter
🎁 Donate Toys or Sponsor a Child
Many local holiday programs accept new, unwrapped toys or allow community members to sponsor children and purchase gifts from their wish lists.
Princeton Human Services' Holiday Gift Drive is one local example.
💳 Donate Grocery Gift Cards
Grocery gift cards give families the flexibility to purchase the food and household items they need most during the holiday season.
❤️ Volunteer Locally
Local food pantries and holiday programs often need volunteers to sort donations, pack food boxes, prepare meals and distribute gifts.
Contact individual organizations directly to ask about current volunteer opportunities.
❤️ Need Help But Don't Know Where to Start?
You don't have to figure it out alone.
📞 Call NJ 211 for help finding food, holiday assistance, housing resources and other community services.
You can also contact your local municipal Human Services or Social Services office for help identifying programs for which your family may qualify.
📍 ZIP Codes Covered
08512 • 08528 • 08536 • 08540 • 08542 • 08544 • 08550 • 08610 • 08619 • 08648 • 08690 • 08691
🎄 Every family deserves a little holiday magic. ❤️
Know of a local Thanksgiving meal, food pantry, toy drive, holiday assistance program or volunteer opportunity we missed?
Send it our way so we can keep this guide updated!
