Thousands attend Hosea Feed the Hungry Thanksgiving dinner

Hundreds of volunteers have cooked a huge meal to help the homeless have a happy Thanksgiving.

Hosea Feed the Hungry's annual Thanksgiving dinner is underway at the Georgia World Congress Center.

Hundreds of volunteers worked in shifts at the DeKalb County Jail overnight and throughout the day on Wednesday.

This year's menu includes about 700 turkeys and about 3,000 canned vegetables.

Organizers of the event said they expect to serve around 40,000 families in crisis across the Atlanta metro Thursday.

This is a 41-year tradition for Hosea Feed the Hungry and volunteers said this event helps them keep things in perspective, especially during this tough economy.

"People like me are only a paycheck away from being in a position where you might be standing in line next year, so it's just something to think about," volunteer Kathryne Dixon said.

• GALLERY: Volunteers prepare Thanksgiving meal

Executive Chef Nick Johnson has been part of the annual tradition for thirty years.

"They come in here and work even harder than they do at their jobs," Johnson said of the volunteers.

Johnson said demand was great this year and the budget was tight.

"We usually do stuffing but we didn't have the budget for it," he said.

People attending will get a sit down meal as well as access to a shower, haircut, three sets of clothes and medical attention.

The Hosea Feed the Hungry Thanksgiving dinner began at 9:30 a.m.