Young Fresno friends celebrate Thanksgiving by giving back

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- A group of teens is giving thanks by giving back.

14 families, including the Herreras, were gifted full Thanksgiving feasts.

"I'm 83 years old and this is the first time I'm surprised like this," says Fresno resident Andrea Herrera. "I'm going to enjoy with my granddaughter."

Matriarch Andrea Herrera says she was on her way to track down a bird at the store, only to have 'Friends.giving' arrive at her doorstep with a feast in hand.

"It's the holiday time, but it's COVID. A lot of people won't be able to do the holidays this year and some of these people may not be able to do Thanksgiving, so I wanted to bring them Thanksgiving," says the founder of Friends.giving, 13-year-old Devin Cornell.

"We're delivering Thanksgiving meals with turkeys, ham, and baskets with mac n' cheese, green bean, corn, potatoes, all of that," Cornell says.

But the spreading of holiday cheer doesn't stop at Thanksgiving for Cornell.

Earlier this fall, he and his team helped put together several back-to-school drives for his fellow students, and again when his Friends Giving philanthropic efforts brought donations overseas to flood victims in Northeast India.

Families for the Thanksgiving giveaway were chosen from the trunk-or-treat event Conell and his team hosted.

As for what's next for Christmas...

"Friends.giving is going to be giving out 100 stockings to kids. There's going to be water bottles socks, gloves, toys, books, candy canes... all of that," Cornell says.

Christmas on G Street is their final and biggest event of the year.

To sponsor a stocking or donate to Friends.giving, click here.