A small army of volunteers are spending Thanksgiving preparing and serving a holiday feast for upwards of 1,000 people.

The third annual Thanksgiving in Manteca takes place Thursday, Nov. 22, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mountain Mike’s Pizza, 1120 N. Main St.

The effort launched by the Sunrise Kiwanis and Manteca Noon Rotary service clubs is aimed at making sure people who live alone, are homeless, can’t afford or prepare a traditonal meal, or have no one to spend Thanksgiving with can partake in a traditional holiday meal. The effort will extend this year to Ripon and Lathrop.

There are up two ways to obtain a meal:

• Walk-ins on Thanksgiving.

• Preordering meals for large or small groups for pick-up. Those meals can be pre-ordered by e-mailing wecookturkeys@comcast.net or calling Brian Mills at 607-3474.

Those who are able to volunteer or provide donations can do so by contacting Mills.

Helping pick up costs associated with the meal so far are the Manteca Noon Rotary, $1,000; Sunrise Kiwanis, $500; Manteca Police Officers Association, $500; and Second Harvest Food Bank which will provide the turkeys.