What is the Basket Brigade?

The Tri-Valley Basket Brigade is a Thanksgiving food drive that allows food donors to connect personally with a family in need. On Brigade Day, participants bring food and clothing items and gather together as a group to create beautiful Thanksgiving baskets. Once the baskets are assembled, participants have the opportunity to deliver a basket personally to a Bay Area family in need. Bags containing food, clothing and personal products are also compiled and delivered to the homeless.

Thanksgiving baskets are given to needy individuals and families who - either due to a lot of pride or lack of access - may not take advantage of the food distribution programs available to them in the area. We identify these families by contacting local schools, churches, homeless and battered women shelters and other charitable organizations. Needy families can also be nominated on the website here.

The Tri-Valley Basket Brigade was founded by husband and wife team Reese Ramos and Katherine Havener. Prior to moving to the Tri-Valley, Reese and Katherine participated in Brigades in Southern California. They enjoyed working with other community members to make baskets, as well as making personal connections with families in need. When they moved to area in 2007, they saw there were no brigades, and so they organized one in the Tri-Valley. The first year, nearly 200 volunteers gathered to create and deliver 186 baskets for Bay Area families in need, and 50 bags for the homeless. In 2008, participation in the event grew to more than 300 Tri-Valley residents, and more than 250 baskets and bags were delivered to the needy. This year, we hope to create 200 baskets for needy families and 200 bags for the homeless