By the end of Monday, 1,000 Edinburg families will have a free thanksgiving meal. 

Meals were handed out Monday morning. Volunteers braved the cold and rainy weather to give selected families a thanksgiving meal.

"That's all we know, is to give back to the community," Edinburg residents Lupita Magdaleno said.

For some, it was their first time participating in giving back to the community. 

"It just makes me happy to see other people happy," Edinburg CISD student Alma Magdaleno said. 

"It gets very overwhelming at times with school clothes, shopping, school," Edinburg resident and father of four Jose Garcia said. "Basically everything in life is just times four."

Financial trouble is at the root of a lot of those families who were selected to get a free food basket, and for many a turkey to go with it. 

"It's been kind of a hard year for a lot of people," Edinburg resident Bianca Garcia said. "The economy hasn't been the best, there's good months and bad months, and during those bad months you're hoping that someone will help you out."

Garcia says she is thankful for the volunteers and the free holiday meal, a tradition the city plans to continue.