2 Columbus organizations to hold food drives ahead of Thanksgiving. How to donate
Two organizations in Columbus announced Monday requests for donations to their food drives ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
Columbus Parks & Recreation and the Columbus Botanical Garden are calling for food donations in the month of November.
A news release from the Columbus Consolidated Government says Columbus Parks & Recreation will accept donations throughout the month at multiple recreation centers, including Comer Community Center, Columbus Aquatic Center, Tillis Recreation Center and Northside Recreation Center.
Another food drive Columbus Parks & Recreation is conducting will take place from Nov. 1-22 at the Frank Chester Senior Center, 1441 Benning Drive., according to the news release.
“Some families in our community are struggling to put food on the table right now,” Rene Knowles, supervisor of the Northside Recreation Center, said in the news release. “With our neighbors’ help to ensure everyone has enough to eat, it strengthens our whole community – we all thrive together.”
Donations will benefit residents in Muscogee County and surrounding counties, according to the news release. Columbus Parks & Recreation encourages community members to donate nonperishable items, such as canned vegetables, boxed stuffing, pasta, rice and peanut butter.
The release says donation bins will be available at the aforementioned centers during normal operating hours and will be collected before Thanksgiving week to ensure timely delivery to local families.
Columbus Botanical Garden food drive
The Columbus Botanical Garden, in partnership with Feeding the Valley Food Bank will have a canned food drive through Nov. 31 at the garden, according to a news release.
The news release says people can bring canned food donations to the garden and receive 50% off general admission per person.
Drop-off times are during their normal hours of 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays. CBG says they have donated over 2,400 pounds of fresh produce from their gardens to Feeding the Valley this year.
“Our partnership with Feeding the Valley allows us to do what we do best — grow fresh produce — while they do what they do best: deliver it with care into the hands of families across our community,” Carolyn Reynolds, CBG vegetable garden volunteer, said in the news release.
This story was originally published November 4, 2025 at 5:00 AM.