Dianne S. Jones is visually impaired and relies on a walker, but those things weren’t going to stop her from hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for sanitation workers and first responders in Camden on Monday.
For 26 years, Jones has organized the free Thanksgiving dinner at the Camden County Council on Economic Opportunity on Broadway as a way to honor the workers and bring community members together.
“As long as breaths in my body, I’m going to make this happen,” said Jones, 81, who was determined to hold Monday’s dinner because of the federal pause in SNAP benefits. “We must do it this year.”
Volunteers serve Thanksgiving dinner on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025 at Camden County Council on Economic Opportunity on Broadway.Phil McAuliffe |for NJ Advance Media
Jones was raised in Camden by a mother who instilled the virtues of public service.
“My mother taught me as a young person to make sure that whatever I do in life, that it’s helping somebody,” Jones said. “Everybody needs somebody.”
For Jones, that meant dropping off groceries to families who she knew needed them, taking neighborhood children back-to-school shopping and checking on the elderly.
When she began working, first as a nurse then for the city’s school district, she often used her own funds to help her community. Jones was also an avid foster parent, and over the course of her life, housed about 34 children.
Around 1995, Jones started a nonprofit called the Rainbow Children of Hope, where she continued to host community activities on a larger scale.
In June, the City of Camden recognized the work Jones had done for the community.
In 1999, Jones decided to host a Thanksgiving day dinner for sanitation workers, police officers and firefighters for their service.
“What would we do without the fire department? What would we do without the police department? What would we do without the sanitation workers,” Jones said.
She added, “We would be in a dilemma!”
Members of the Camden Police Department attend a Thanksgiving dinner, hosted by resident Dianne Jones, on Monday, Nov. 24, 2025 Camden County Council on Economic Opportunity on Broadway.Phil McAuliffe |for NJ Advance Media
Jones rallied friends and family to volunteer, found a location to host the dinner and encouraged local businesses to donate food.
It was a success, about 200 workers and members of the community gathered at the Camden County Council on Economic Opportunity building on Broadway. They gave thanks together, then, enjoyed the turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and other food, the volunteers spent hours cooking and setting up.
The Rev. Florence Toni Still, 81, has volunteered at the dinner for about 15 years and seen firsthand how important it is for both first responders and community members.
“In the community, people put down these first responders so much,” Still, of Sicklerville, said. “But to see somebody actually cares and appreciates their role in the community, you could see the smiling faces.”
The dinner also helps community members better understand first responders, she said.
“It’s also fostering a relationship,” she said. When community members eat with the first responders, it helps them “get to know these are the first responders. These are the policemen. These are the firemen.”
Camden Fire Chief Jesse Flax agrees.
“For the Camden Fire Department, these kinds of community gatherings offer more than just a hearty meal, they provide a moment of rest, appreciation, and shared experience in the midst of demanding work,” he said. “The dinner is a public expression of respect and support, echoing the vital importance of acknowledging the sacrifices made by those who protect and serve, even on holidays.”
Flax added that in Camden, where many residents experience financial hardships, dinners like these are “vital.”
“The meal directly combats food insecurity and social isolation, turning Thanksgiving into a day where everyone has a seat at the table and feels recognized as a valuable part of the community,” he said. “The longstanding tradition of her Thanksgiving dinner demonstrates how one person’s vision and perseverance can spark widespread goodwill and unity, leaving a lasting impact far beyond a single holiday.”
Camden County Police Chief Gabriel Rodriguez agreed. “She brings all of our agencies around one table for a special meal and her work and commitment to us and our counterparts and peers [is] admirable.”
Camden county Sheriff Chuck Billingham greets Jackie Davis who is staffing the giveaway table at the Camden Thanksgiving dinner on Monday, November 24, 2025 Camden County Council on Economic Opportunity on Broadway.Phil McAuliffe |for NJ Advance Media
For Jones, the dinner is a representation of one of her core beliefs.
“I count it a privilege to be able to help somebody along the way before my time is up,” she said. “All I wanted is someone to say that I was able to help.”
On Monday, about 250 people showed up to the dinner served by about 25 volunteers, Jones said.
“It went beautiful,” she said. “Everybody just coincided with everybody.”