Chandler Compadres prep community Thanksgiving dinner

Every year, the non-profit group Chandler Compadres prepares a feast at their Boys and Girls Club branch where they carve 50 turkeys, including a full-course dinner, which feeds hundreds of Valley families.

CHANDLER, Ariz. - Nearly 700 children and families will get to enjoy a nice, free Thanksgiving meal tonight at the Chandler Boys and Girls Club.

Food has a way of bringing people together, especially during the holidays.

"It's all because we want to help and the [sic] support the communities and the children that live in it and give back," said Matt Marshall of the Chandler Compadres.

Every year, the non-profit group Chandler Compadres prepares a feast at their Boys and Girls Club branch where they carve 50 turkeys, including a full-course dinner, which feeds hundreds of Valley families.

"These kids are friends. This is a place where they feel like they belong, so they want their families to be here and they really do develop [a] stronger sense of community when they can share a meal like this," said Connie Perez, CEO of the Boys and Girls Club of the East Valley.

For families who may not be able to afford to put Thanksgiving dinner on the table, the group says their doors are open and the hot, free meal is for anyone.

"There are a lot of families that are out there struggling and that don't have the ability to buy a turkey or have Thanksgiving dinner, and this is an opportunity for them to come to a place with a lot of other families in similar situations and enjoy Thanksgiving and be with their family and be with their kids," Perez said.