WASHINGTON — This week’s holiday is a time to give thanks, and for many people, it’s a time to help others.

Over the past three days, 800 volunteers came to the D.C. Jewish Community Center to help prepare Thanksgiving dinner for those in need.

“We want to put a lot of love into what we’re doing with what we make.”

Volunteers eager to do their part were chopping vegetables and wrapping plates on Tuesday night. They prepared stuffing, green beans, coleslaw, harvest bean salad and yams.

The D.C. JCC works with D.C. Central Kitchen, which cooks the turkeys for the annual event.

More than 20,000 servings are prepared to help feed 5,000 people.