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Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy the company of friends and family as well as the special traditional meal that Americans have looked forward to for almost 400 years.

Through the efforts of volunteers and donors in every community within The Sun Chronicle readership area, those in need of a Thanksgiving meal or just some company to share it with, have the following options for free dinners or food baskets before and during the week of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Dinners

Wednesday

North Attleboro - Beginning at 4 p.m., the First Baptist Church, 75 Park St., one of the Attleboro Area Council of Church's six Food 'n' Friends kitchens, will serve a Thanksgiving dinner to residents in need. Reservations aren't required and free GATRA bus transportation is available. For more information, call the Council of Churches at 508-222-2933.

Saturday

Attleboro - Beginning at 11 a.m., the Centenary United Methodist Church, 15 Sanford St., one of the Attleboro Area Council of Church's six Food 'n' Friends kitchens, will serve a Thanksgiving dinner to area residents in need. Reservations are not required and free GATRA bus transportation is available. For more information, call the Council of Churches at 508-222-2933.

Monday, Nov. 23

Attleboro - Beginning at 4:30 p.m., the LaSalette Shrine cafeteria, at 947 Park St., one of the Attleboro Area Council of Church's six Food 'n' Friends kitchens, will serve a free Thanksgiving dinner to anyone in need. Reservations are not required and free GATRA bus transportation is available. For more information, call the Council of Churches at 508-222-2933.

Wrentham - At 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Nicky's Restaurant at 460 Franklin St. in Wrentham, will serve a free Thanksgiving dinner to senior citizens and residents in need from Foxboro, Norfolk, Plainville and Wrentham, who have made reservations. To make reservations, residents of Foxboro, Norfolk, Plainville and Wrentham must call their respective senior centers.

Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26

Attleboro - At noon, 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., the Attleboro Loyal Order of the Moose Chapter 463 and the Women of the Moose Chapter 974 will serve their sixth annual free dinner at the Moose Lodge at the Attleboro Moose Family Center, located at 241 Thacher St., to area residents in need. Reservations are required and must be made by Monday, Nov. 23. Transportation can also be provided for those who need it and home-delivered meals can be arranged for Attleboro residents in need. To make reservations, request a home-delivered meal or volunteer, call the Moose Lodge at 508-222-9756 between 2 and 9 p.m. If leaving a message, include your name, address and phone number.

Mansfield - Beginning at 1 p.m., the Friends of the Elderly will serve dinner for area residents of all ages at the Orthodox Congregational Church at 17 West St., Mansfield, for those residents who have made reservations. Transportation and delivery of meals are also available. For more information, call Sandra Martinelli at 508-243-2270. Donations also are welcomed, and can be sent to the Friends of the Elderly, care of Sandra Martinelli, 18B Bicentennial Court, Mansfield, MA 02048.

Taunton - At Coyle & Cassidy High School in Taunton, residents from the Greater Taunton area, may attend a breakfast at 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. and a dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. organized by the Corline Cronin Family Inc. Meals can also be delivered to Taunton residents in need who cannot go to the school by calling the Taunton Council on Aging at 508-821-1420 by noon Tuesday, Nov. 25. To volunteer or donate food items for the dinner, call Donna McClay at 508-823-8443. Thanksgiving baskets

Free Thanksgiving baskets are given out each year in every community within The Sun Chronicle readership area. For those communities in which the deadline to request a free basket has not already passed, some of the options for requesting a free basket are as follows:

ATTLEBORO RESIDENTS - Call St. Vincent De Paul Society at St. John the Evangelist Church via 508-222-8400 by Nov. 18.

FOXBORO RESIDENTS - Call the Foxboro Discretionary Fund at 508-543-5235 by Nov 18. For those who have reserved baskets, the pickup date will be Sunday, Nov. 22.

NORFOLK RESIDENTS - The Norfolk Food Pantry, located at Emmanuel Baptist Church, 63 Rockwood Road. To reserve a basket, call 508-528-5862 by Nov. 17. For those who have reserved baskets, the pickup time will be the morning of Nov. 21.

NORTON RESIDENTS - Call St. Vincent De Paul Society of St. Mary's Church at 508-285-4462 by Nov. 23.

PLAINVILLE RESIDENTS - Call the United Methodist Church at 508-695-9587 by Nov. 18. For those who have reserved a basket, the baskets will be given out at noon on Sunday, Nov. 22, by the Living Bread Food Pantry, located at the church on 16 East Bacon St.

REHOBOTH RESIDENTS - Call Rehoboth Helping Hands at 508-252-3263 by Nov. 18 or visit the food pantry at 51 Winthrop St. From 12 to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 24, for free food items, including meat and pie.

SEEKONK RESIDENTS - Call Seekonk Human Services at 508-336-8772.

TAUNTON RESIDENTS - Call the St. Vincent de Paul Society at 508-823-6676.