Wellington residents have a few more days to contribute to the Village’s 2026 Holiday Food Drive, which accepts nonperishable donations through Friday, Nov. 13. The drive is intended to help local families enjoy a hot Thanksgiving meal, and the Village is asking donors to focus on practical pantry staples that can be shared with families ahead of the holiday.

The request is straightforward: unopened, unexpired shelf-stable items. The Village’s current list includes boxed mashed potatoes, boxed or packaged stuffing, canned vegetables, cornbread mix, cranberry sauce and turkey gravy. Canned green beans, peas, corn and sweet potatoes are specifically named among the requested vegetables.

That makes a donation easy to build during a regular grocery stop. A donor can choose one item or assemble a small holiday-meal bundle, but the most useful contribution is one that matches the published list and has a current expiration date. A quick check at home can also turn extra unopened pantry items into a meaningful local contribution.

Food can be dropped off at Village Hall, Village Park, the Wellington Community Center and the Wellington Tennis Center. Donations are also accepted on Thursday nights at Wellington Amphitheater during Thursday Nights in Wellington. With several collection points across the Village, residents can select the location that best fits an existing errand, commute or evening outing.

The deadline is close enough to matter. Donors who have been meaning to participate can set aside a few items this week rather than waiting until the final day. The Village says all donations will go directly to local families in need.

For families, workplaces, teams and neighbors, the final week is a chance to make a simple, concrete contribution without needing a special event or large time commitment. A few listed items can be added to an ordinary shopping cart, then delivered to a Village collection site while running another errand. Donors should leave out perishable or opened products and prioritize the items the Village has identified as needed.

The food drive is separate from the Village’s Holiday Toy Drive, which continues longer, through Dec. 11. That distinction matters for anyone organizing a workplace or neighborhood collection: food donations for Thanksgiving need to arrive by the Nov. 13 deadline, while new, unwrapped toys follow a different timetable. Wellington says its Holiday Food Drive benefits local families during the holiday season.

Residents who are unable to donate can still share the deadline and requested-items list with friends, colleagues or local groups. Clear information helps organizers avoid receiving items that cannot be used, and it makes it easier for donors to choose something helpful rather than guessing. A reminder at work, school, or in a neighborhood group can amplify the impact of a convenient one-stop donation. Every share helps locally.

For those seeking help rather than looking to donate, the Village directs Wellington residents needing holiday food assistance to contact the Wellington Community Center at 561-753-2484. That direct contact route is important because needs and distribution arrangements are handled locally. The Village’s food-drive page is also the place to confirm details before dropping items off.

Food Drive Deadline: Friday, Nov. 13
Requested donations: Unopened, unexpired nonperishable Thanksgiving staples
Drop-off sites: Village Hall, Village Park, Wellington Community Center, Wellington Tennis Center, and Thursday Nights in Wellington at the Amphitheater
Food assistance: Wellington Community Center, 561-753-2484