NEWARK -- Yossy Auta picked up a long-sleeved white shirt patterned with light brown shapes and smiled.

"It's a day to remember," she said. Auta folded the shirt, placed it inside her bag and resumed perusing the donated clothing slung over the black fence at Mother Cabrini Park to pick out some T-shirts for her kids.

"It helps somebody to have something to put on, it's good to help people," she said. "They are practicing what God says."

On Thanksgiving morning, different groups of volunteers assembled outside Newark Penn Station to distribute food, clothes and other items for those in need -- and passers-by wanting a snack for the road.

Members of the Iglesia Emmanuel New Jersey in Kearny offered plates of Peruvian fried rice and hot chocolate. Police officers, too, set up a table to serve food. A brother-and-sister duo continued their eighth year of calling on friends and family to bring what they can -- Rice Krispy Treats, bags of hygiene products and 300 trays of food.

"We were all brought up in the projects," said Jessica Perez, 32, who started serving food eight years ago. "Since we have so much now, let's give it."

Jessica's brother, Rafael Perez, took over organizing the event a few years ago and what started as two tables and some hot burners grew to 12 tables and 40 volunteers.

"It's all manpower," Rafael Perez, 33, dressed in a "God is great" hoodie, said. "I asked the community and it's like wildfire."

Perez said they're not part of an organization, just neighbors spreading the word to help other neighbors.

One volunteer said she brought a few crutches for those who needed it and last year brought her late father's suits.

Josiah Ramirez, 10, was serving yellow rice in an assembly line of mac and cheese, chicken and potatoes.

"I was thinking about giving food out and I almost cried, I don't like to see poor people on the streets," he said. "I don't like to see them with not that much clothes on, it makes me feel bad."

Ramirez said he often visits shelters and wants to become an FBI agent "to save people from getting hurt."

Jessica Perez said since she started coming eight years ago, she's seen different organizations and groups of volunteers take up shop iin different corners of the park.

What’s a Thanksgiving without arroz chaufa? These Peruvians from Iglesia Emmanuel served food to the homeless at Newark Penn Station. pic.twitter.com/L1wart4AZH — Karen Yi (@karen_yi) November 23, 2017

"It means a lot to me," said Tony McNeil, 57, who has been homeless for two years. "This is really a blessing for the homeless, I just don't know how to say thank you."

"This is the best Thanksgiving that I've had so far," he said.

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook.