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GREENSBORO – Like many, Bob Brown spent the better part of Thanksgiving morning hovering over a hot stove.

While he worked on green beans and dressing, Roxana Brand whipped up some of her own holiday favorites. But neither were cooking for friends or family, but strangers.

“I've been doing this since they built this building because there's a great need," Brown said.

They were just two of the hundreds of volunteers who converged on Greensboro Urban Ministry Thursday to spread a little holiday cheer to the homeless. The nonprofit's been serving up traditional meals to the needy every Thanksgiving for the past two decades.

Executive Director Rev. Mike Aiken says the problem gets bigger every year.

“I've been here at GSO Urban Ministry for 24 years, this is the worst I've seen it “Last year, our needs increased 25 percent to 30 percent,” Aiken said. “After it's all over, you just feel like you're doing some of God's work. You just feel like you're doing your part.”

In addition to cooking, volunteers spent the morning boxing up dinners for the Mobile Meals program. Brand brought her 15-year-old son Jerrel.

“It gives me a way to show him what it means to help others instead of always thinking about self,” she said. “It's important to help others in the community.”

By 11 a.m., it was showtime. Thousands who might otherwise have gone hungry lined up to get their fill of turkey, dressing and all the trimmings.

“I think it's very important for everybody to give back to the community to help out those who aren't as fortunate as we are,” Brand said. “We're all in this together we're all brothers and sisters.”