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LAKEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) — The Action Center and Denver Sheriff’s Department distributed Thanksgiving meals to more than 1,650 families Saturday.

About 400 volunteers with The Action Center were part of a drive-through food distribution in Lakewood. They gave families one or two boxes of food, plus a gift card to help them buy a turkey or ham.

“Part of the power of this is not just giving somebody some extra food to get through a holiday or a weekend, but it’s helping people know they’re not alone and that there are other people who care,” said Antoinette Gawin, a volunteer and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies. “We all have to band together to come through this a little stronger.”

One in three Colorado families is food insecure. That means they may not know where or how they’ll get their next meal. And it’s only been made worse by the pandemic, that’s forced more than 600,000 people in the state to file for unemployment since March.

“We know how hard times are for families here in Denver, as well as the rest of the country,” said Denver Sheriff Elias Diggins. “So it’s an opportunity to give back.”

Diggins and his deputies, plus their families, delivered about 250 boxes of food to people’s doorsteps Saturday. It’s part of the Daddy Bruce (Randolph) Thanksgiving Feed a Family program.