The giveaway was set up at Newark's Cityplex 12 Theaters Springfield Avenue and Bergen Street.
People lined up starting at 8 a.m. to receive one of the 300 turkeys.
The city has also partnered with HelloFresh on a citywide food giveaway.
500 turkeys and boxes with sides went to each of Newark's 5 wards.
Families are struggling with high food costs on top of other living expenses that have to be met.
"The cost of living in this state is enormous, growing by the day so anything that we can do, we've been doing this for years," Mayor Baraka said.
The distribution helps take the sting out of making the holiday affordable.
"There's a lot of people out here that don't have and they'll have something to eat this Thanksgiving," a resident said.
The city of Newark has held this event for 12 years, but food insecurity is something that they think about and act on year-round.
"HelloFresh provided the sides for us. HelloFresh also provided us with some of the turkeys so they've been great partners to us. You know we do a food distribution every week in the city of Newark on Wednesdays and they just added to the gifts in terms of giving out more food to people," Amiri Baraka the Mayor's Chief of Staff said.
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