While most of us are using the last few days before Thanksgiving to check off our grocery lists, a local church is helping those that can't afford one.

Best friends Kim Blund and Earleen Wilcox were two of the first people in line.

"I come here 4 or 5 years, getting the turkey it helps me out because I have a limited income. So I get the fixins and they give me the turkey," says Wilcox. 

"It's a blessing it really is..my daughter, has 7 children and we all eat together," says Blund. 

Hundreds turned out for an annual Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway. River of Life Church in Syracuse started their giveaway at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, but organizers say people were lined up since the night before.

And no one is turned away.

"No qualification for it, if you're waiting in line for a turkey you'll get a turkey. It's just a great outreach and we are here to give back to the community and give to God's people," says Don Page, River of Life Church Director of Projects Outreach. 

This is the 14th year of the giveaway and they gave away 500 turkeys. The church says they're more than happy to embody the true meaning of giving.

"Once in a while I get a card in the mail that says Uncle Don, thank you so much for the turkey,” said Page. “Because if we didn't have this turkey this year, we wouldn't have Thanksgiving, that's a big thing."

Money to buy the turkeys came from church members as well as other local community organizations.

Page says, "Be thankful for what you have because so many of us seem to say what we don't have, be grateful for what you have, they don't really have a lot but they are thankful for what they have."