INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Mozel Sanders Foundation has secured five locations to help cook this year’s Thanksgiving meals, but the organization is looking for a few more to help share the work load.

The Mozel Sanders Foundation has been a lifeline for many, especially during the holiday season. Each Thanksgiving, they serve thousands of hot meals, reaching people who may not have a place to celebrate or access to food.

It’s getting down to the wire, and the foundation urgently needs a few more locations.

“If we could secure one or two more locations that would be great. I would really help the work not fall so much on the other kitchens,” said Dawn Jones of the Mozel Sanders Foundation.

The large kitchen at Butler University is unavailable this year – a space the foundation typically relied on to prepare thousands of free Thanksgiving meals.

The foundation would like businesses with commercial kitchens to donate their time and space to help cook at least 500 meals.

“They would definitely need to have commercial ovens to bringing to food up to temperature, commercial sized pots and pans to hold things like gravy, green beans to bring up to heating temperature, and then of course counter space to be able to put those dinners together,” Jones said.

This year, the Mozel Sanders Foundation hopes to serve 10,000 people. Jones says they are always looking for more volunteers, especially ones that can work on the actual holiday.

“Wednesday slots fill up first because people do want to spend the time on Thursdays with the families, specifically if they’re cooking. But I know there’s still spots,” she said.

Supporting the Mozel Sanders Foundation doesn’t just mean filling stomachs. It’s about connecting people across the community.

“They’re giving two hours of their time to be able to give back to the community to give back to those that are less fortunate than them and we’re just very grateful,” said Jones.

For people who can’t physically help on Thanksgiving, the foundation says purchasing a meal does just as much good. $20 feeds four people, and one meal is $5.

“We’ve already placed the order for the foods so that’s already been done and will be delivered to the kitchens, so we’d just need financial donations to help offset the cost of that,” said Jones.