In Berkeley, members of the city's Police Department, the Berkeley Boosters Association and the University of California Police Department met at 6 a.m. to assemble 250 food baskets.
Each basket contains a turkey, fresh produce and enough canned and packaged food to serve about eight people. They will be handed out by uniformed Berkeley police and parking officers.
Twenty Berkeley and UC police officers raised about $8,000 for the food baskets earlier this year when they rode more than 200 miles in three days on their bicycles.
The Alameda Food Bank will distribute 500-plus turkeys at its warehouse at 650 W. Ranger Ave. from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today.
In addition to the turkeys, the food bank will give away stuffing, gravy and 2,500 pounds of produce to eligible families.
The food will be handed out by volunteers from the Alameda Fire Department, Clif Bar and the software company Wind River.
The Oakland Department of Human Services, along with the Community Action Partnership and the Emergency Food Providers Committee, is hosting the 19th annual Thanksgiving Dinner at the Marriott Oakland City Center at 1001 Broadway from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. today.
The event is open to all low-income or homeless families and individuals.
More than 2,500 people were served at the dinner last year.
At 5 p.m., Oakland Raiders players will help serve Thanksgiving meals to youngsters at the Dream Catchers Youth Shelter and Support Center at 422 Jefferson St. in Oakland.
On Wednesday evening, Raiders linebackers will host a Thanksgiving dinner for the residents of Paradise Residential Homes at 136 Valdivia Circle in San Ramon. Paradise Residential Homes is a place for youths who have left foster care.
