Thanksgiving in New York City is many things — parade floats, marching bands, tourists and tradition — but on 145th Street, stretching half a block outside the National Action Network headquarters, New Yorkers waited patiently for a hot meal, fellowship, and the warmth of community. Inside, volunteers moved with practiced rhythm as plates filled with turkey and sides reached hundreds of neighbors, from Harlem to the Bronx.

The annual dinner, hosted by the Rev. Al Sharpton, drew familiar names and new leadership. State Attorney General Letitia James and filmmaker Spike Lee stood shoulder-to-shoulder with residents, while Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani joined the effort for the first time. For many in the line, returning year after year is more than routine — it is ritual.

Ernest Waters traveled from the Bronx, explaining to ABC News, “This is for a lot of senior citizens and a lot of people that don’t have nowhere to go, because sometimes the families don’t take care of the elderly when they get elderly… when you get up in age, you are forgotten. And when you get disabled, you are forgotten.”

The volunteers served hundreds of holiday plates Thanksgiving Day, following turkey giveaways the night before, CBS reported.

Mamdani, who will take office in just over a month, leaned into the moment with purpose and promise. “Most of all, I’m thankful and I am grateful that in a little more than a month City Hall will focus its power on a mission that has too long escaped its attention — making a dignified, affordable life in New York a reality for every person who calls this city home.” He added, “So when we celebrate Thanksgiving next year, my sincere hope is that gratitude comes a little bit easier because together we would have already spent much of that year building a city that New Yorkers can truly afford.”

Sharpton reminded the crowd why this day matters: “Thanksgiving is a time for giving, it’s a time for us to celebrate family. Many who come today come from homeless shelters, but many are seniors who just don’t have people that they have a Thanksgiving dinner with.”