'Tis the season of giving, and the Vikings have been busy making a difference in the community.

Over the past two weeks, Vikings players and their families have served Thanksgiving meals at local Boys & Girls Clubs locations.

Andrew Van Ginkel and Levi Drake Rodriguez connected last week with families and youth at Boys & Girls Club Twin Cities, serving up heaping platefuls of turkey, mashed potatoes and plenty of sides. In St. Paul, Joshua Metellus helped serve dinner and hung out with young people at the Al Lenzmeier West Side Club.

The Vikings Home Team this week hosted a Thanksgiving dinner at the Southside Boys & Girls Club. Vikings players Tyler Batty, Chaz Chambliss, Theo Jackson, Zavier Scott, Elijah Williams and Ryan Wright, as well as Vikings Director of Player Engagement Jasper Brinkley, were joined by their significant others in serving a meal, and fullback C.J. Ham also joined to support the organization close to his heart.

Adam Thielen, along with his wife Caitlin and their children, also joined Thielen Foundation on Nov. 18 in providing boxes of Thanksgiving food for St. Paul community members.

The Vikings hosted their annual Thanksgiving Drive Through, presented by Land O'Lakes, Inc., at Twin Cities Orthopedics Performance Center Tuesday. Vikings coaches and players teamed up with volunteers from Land O’Lakes and The Open Door Pantry to supply 1,600 turkeys to nonprofit organizations and individual families.

Vikings Host Thanksgiving Drive Through Presented by Land O'Lakes

The Vikings are making an impact throughout the Twin Cities.

Safeties coach Michael Hutchings brought plenty of energy this week for the Thanksgiving Drive Through, presented by Land O'Lakes, enthusiastically directing traffic as individuals and nonprofits arrived to pick up Thanksgiving meals sourced through The Open Door Pantry.

"This is one of my favorite events," Hutchings said, grinning. "We look forward to this every year. Last year, me and K.O. (Head Coach Kevin O'Connell) had such a great time, and he actually brought it up last week in the staff meeting, just so everybody understands the significance of the event. It's great to give back, to make it fun.

"We're [very blessed] to be in this building, be around these people, do our jobs, be in our profession. And for some, they're making sure they know where to look for their next meal," Hutchings continued. "Where's that next opportunity coming from? Can they provide for their crew, their family, their circle, during the holidays? It's nice to be able to take the stress off them — kind of check a box — for those people that may have it looming over their heads of how they're going to make the holiday season happen. And that's really the biggest thing for us."

Hutchings was joined by several fellow coaches; as well as Vikings players (including Jordan Addison, Jalen Nailor, Bo Richter, Will Reichard and others) and staff members; Minnesota Vikings Cheerleaders; and volunteers from Land O'Lakes and The Open Door.

Vikings Chief Operating Officer Andrew Miller noted the significance of working with nonprofits such as All Square, Boys & Girls Clubs, ReConnect Rondo and others to ensure meals are distributed where they're most needed.

"We work with a number of these organizations closely, and they have access to the families in their networks and communities who will ultimately be the recipients of these Thanksgiving meals," Miller said. "We have such an important platform at the Vikings to do good in our community, and we want to use that platform to make a positive impact."

The Open Door Executive Director Jason Viana smiled as he connected with volunteers and greeted those arriving in cars, vans and mammoth trucks. He emphasized the overall benefit of the event's boots-on-the-ground format.

"I think it helps the players and coaches feel really connected to the community," Viana said. "But for the community members who are often struggling, it's very easy to feel like no one sees you and no one knows [what you're going through]. So to see an organization like the Vikings, to see the players and coaches not only know but care, it absolutely has impact far behind the dinner table."

Thielen Foundation Provides Holiday Meals for St. Paul Families

"Look at you trying to be cool!"

A young boy at St. Paul City School filed through a photo op on his way to score a box of Thanksgiving fixings, packed full of turkey and gravy, green beans, shelf-stable milk, and pumpkin and corn muffin mix.

Plus, many other Turkey Day staples that will feed families.

The result was a surplus of smiles last Tuesday afternoon inside the gymnasium of the preK-12 school that serves nearly 600 kids, the majority of which live in Frogtown, an ethnically diverse neighborhood.

One woman laughed excitedly as the child stopped in front of a purple backdrop and snared a football in a cool manner. He promptly threw it back to the man he received it from and smiled when it hit the floor.

Eyes across the room darted to see a wee boy making a one-handed catch near Thielen.

It was that type of day for the Vikings wide receiver, who returned home to Minnesota in late August after two seasons in Carolina and was eager to "create some smiles, and happiness and joy for families."

That's why Adam and the Thielen Foundation partnered with Second Harvest Heartland to pass out boxes of food to people that could use support – and a good home-cooked meal – this holiday season.

Thielen attended the event, which included a line of youth and adults waiting turns for photos and autographs wrapped around the perimeter of the gym, with his wife Caitlin and their three children.

The Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, native, shared it was important to bring his own family "to help them know how important it is to give back, especially to the communities that have done so much for us."

One highlight of the afternoon, Thielen said, was "hanging out with the kids that probably don't really care that a football player is here. They're just here to have fun – and want to go throw the ball around."

St. Paul City School was a natural fit for the giveback because of its partnership with Second Harvest Heartland – the organization recently implemented a food shelf on site – and Thielen's desire to impact young lives in the East Metro. Two months ago, they put their heads together and the event into motion.

"It's a wonderful event to support our families," St. Paul City School Director of Teaching and Learning Nicole Peterson said. "We support them at school, and our goal is to serve them when they're not at school, as well. … So this is just another way to support our families around the holidays."

Vikings Home Team Serves Thanksgiving Dinner

For safety Theo Jackson, giving back is a family affair.

Jackson joined the Vikings Home Team, made up of players' and coaches' significant others, and multiple teammates in serving Thanksgiving Dinner catered by Hy-Vee at the Southside Boys & Girls Club in Minneapolis. He and his wife Ari brought along their sons, Aiden and Aaro, for the experience.

"We always want to give back, and we want to show our kids what it looks like to give back," Jackson said. "And being here with teammates is awesome. We love being around each other, and it makes it even more special doing this with the guys."

Jackson held 10-month-old Aaro on his hip with one arm and used his other to dish up buttery, golden cornbread to youngsters and families who came through the line. He happily paused to pose for the occasional selfie request, as well.

"It's just so fun being here, seeing them smile and seeing how happy they are, no matter their circumstances," he said.

Prior to Vikings volunteers taking their spots on the serving line, Southside Branch Director Mark Graves invited a number of youth to share what they are thankful for this holiday season; Ham then welcomed the community and shared his connection to Boys & Girls Clubs.

"We're talking about what we're thankful for, and for me, aside from my family, I'm super thankful for the Boys & Girls Club in and of itself," Ham said. "I grew up in the club. Started coming here probably before I was supposed to, about 5 years old, all the way through high school, 18 years old. I actually received a scholarship from the Boys & Girls Clubs for all four years of college, as well.

"The BGC has a super special place in my heart," he continued. "We know Thanksgiving is about being with our families, right? And because the BGC was so close to my heart, Boys & Girls Club was a part of my family. They were an extension of my family. And I know we're all here together … and you guys feel the same way I did, that the Boys & Girls Club is a part of your family, too.

"I'm excited that we get to break bread together as one large family," Ham added with a smile.