Didn’t make everything on your Thanksgiving menu? Here are 3 food pantries to give your leftovers to

I’m trying to turn over a new leaf and be a better person before I feel like I have to for the New Year. You know, stop complaining so much, watch less Netflix… Should giving back be added to the list? Probably.

Black Friday does not exist to me, but Thanksgiving leftovers do. While you can’t donate actual leftovers, you can donate the cans you didn’t open to help someone in need have as good of a meal as you did. Not sure where? I wasn’t either.

Keep in mind that I’m only scratching the surface, but here are three spots to drop them.

Loaves and Fishes

Photo via Facebook

Loaves and Fishes looks to provide a week’s worth of groceries (three meals a day for seven days) to those in short-term crises through their 20 emergency food pantries. They’re looking mainly for cans — think meats, pasta (i.e. Spaghetti-O’s), and fruit. Cereal and 100 percent fruit juices are also appreciated, but when it comes to juice, avoid glass containers.

Locations in Charlotte include:

Calvary United Methodist Church. Tuesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 512 West Boulevard.

Eastern Hills Baptist Church. Thursday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. 4855 Albemarle Road.

First Presbyterian Church. Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon. 200 West Trade Street.

Holy Comforter Episcopal Church. Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. 2701 Park Road.

New Zion Missionary Baptist Church. Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. 217 West Todd Lane.

St. Giles Presbyterian Church. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 2027 Emerywood Drive.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina

Photo via Facebook

Second Harvest is interesting in that it provides food and groceries to the charitable agencies that assist people in need. They also train, consult with, assist technically and educate their 600+ partner agencies in 19 counties in North Carolina.

While you can’t physically donate food to Second Harvest, you can volunteer to distribute, virtually donate, host a food drive, or donate money via their website. Noteworthy: for every $1 you donate, Bank of America will donate $2 more.

$50 = 200 meals

$100 = 400 meals

$250 = 1,000 meals

$500 = 2,000 meals

The Harvest Center of Charlotte

Photo via Facebook

The Harvest Center provides hot meals four times a week, but they’re looking at the bigger picture. Their goal is to transform the lives of people caught in the vicious cycle of homelessness, poverty, and unemployment by offering shelter, clothing, counseling, and more. Check out everything they do here.

Food wise, they’re asking for canned goods, especially fruit and vegetables. But if you’re planning on tearing it up on Black Friday and need somewhere to put what you don’t need, they’re looking for refrigerators, electric stoves, and twin bedding necessities.

Be a good person this season and get after it.