STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Nearly 4,000 Staten Islanders enjoyed Thanksgiving dinners this year thanks to a collaborative effort by the borough’s five Rotary clubs—a tradition nearly five decades strong.
The Thanksgiving Basket Project began in 1977 with just 25 baskets. Last year, it delivered more than 800 complete turkey dinners. Today, Staten Island Rotary, South Shore Rotary, North Shore Rotary, Mid-Island Rotary and Gateway Rotary power the initiative.
Each box contained nine items: potatoes, yams, green beans, corn, cranberry sauce, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, gravy and corn muffin mix.(Courtesy of Mike D’Angelo)
Operating on a $40,000 budget raised through year-round fundraising, the project is led by longtime committee members Michael D’Angelo, Paul Scamardella, Frank Scarangello, Gary Applebaum, Bill Barillari, and Dave Dillon—some involved for more than 35 years.
Last Friday night, 80 volunteers packed boxes at Scaran’s Amboy Road warehouse, filling each with nine staples: potatoes, yams, green beans, corn, cranberry sauce, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, gravy and corn muffin mix.
What began as 25 food baskets in 1977 has evolved into a borough-wide effort delivering complete holiday meals to families across the island.(Courtesy of Mike D’Angelo of the North Shore Rotary)
Meat distributor Ranchers Best of Mariners Harbor delivered 816 turkeys early Saturday, and more than 100 volunteers—including the ATU726 Family Fund—distributed meals to families across Staten Island. Each basket feeds four to six people, with names submitted by local organizations serving residents in need.
Business owners and Rotary members gather to celebrate their shared commitment to giving back to the Staten Island community they helped build.(Courtesy of Mike D’Angelo)
Behind the scenes, local small businesses keep this tradition alive—donating goods, lending warehouse space and ensuring families have a Thanksgiving meal. Their quiet support reflects a long-standing tradition of Staten Island entrepreneurs reinvesting in the community they helped build.