Hudson Pride Center Celebrates LGBTQ+ Community With “Friendsgiving” Holiday Feast

For many people, Thanksgiving is a happy occasion when families get together to enjoy each other’s company with good food. Some members of the LGBTQ+ community, however, may not have welcoming families to go back to during the holidays. Fortunately, the Hudson Pride Center serves as a sanctuary for these individuals, hosting its annual Friendsgiving party to support LGBTQ+ folks in what could otherwise be a difficult time of year for them. 

According to Elizabeth Schedl, the Hudson Pride Center’s Executive Director, this local event offers people a free meal and a safe space to mingle with their “chosen family.” Such an event provides a bit of normalcy for this community, decreasing feelings of loneliness that may arise around Thanksgiving.

“Really, our goal [with Friendsgiving] is to have people feel good about this time of year. About the people that are surrounding them and supporting them,” said Schedl. “So what my goal is not just a full stomach cause you want to leave here with a satisfying meal, but that your energy and your spirits are high and you’re feeling good about yourself and walking in the next week or the next day knowing that there’s a community that supports you.”

As they do every year, Hudson County Community College sponsored Hudson Pride and provided them a free space to hold their annual celebration. Aside from heavy rainfall, Friendsgiving faced no obstacles as it brought in dozens of guests, making for a lively evening filled with food, music, and fun.

The Hudson Pride Center welcomed guests of all ages to celebrate Friendsgiving with each other and enjoy food provided by several diverse vendors located throughout Hudson County. These local caterers include Lotus Thai, Cavany Foods, The District, El Gordo, Brightside Tavern, and Freetown Road. 

As the night neared its end, Hudson Pride served a variety of tasty Friendsgiving desserts to their guests. Most notably, they presented a beautiful, tall cake made by Joeycakes, a queer-owned business that provides baked goods for Friendsgiving every year.

With a room packed with guests, young and old, Hudson Pride’s Friendsgiving dinner proved itself a huge success. The turnout for this year’s event displayed solidarity for the local LGBTQ+ community, as its members came together in the pouring rain to celebrate the holidays with each other’s love and support.

“Every year, [Friendsgiving] gets bigger,” said Schedl. “And what I love to see [is that] it’s not just current individuals we serve, but people who have utilized our services over the years that might not now, but they come out to these holiday events just to kinda reconnect with us and see everyone again. So it’s a really, really amazing experience.”

Hudson Pride also welcomed Jersey City Ward E Councilperson James Solomon as a special guest. Though his visit took place in the middle of his 2025 mayoral campaign, Solomon has participated in multiple Friendsgiving celebrations over the years to show his support to the Hudson Pride Center and Jersey City’s LGBTQ+ community.

“For me, [Friendsgiving’s] like an event that epitomizes the best of Jersey City,” said Solomon. “Building community, bringing people together, celebrating the things we have to be grateful for. So I always want to come swing by and say thank you to the Hudson Pride team that does this and say hi to everyone celebrating Thanksgiving.”

This Friendsgiving event continues the Hudson Pride Center’s long history of providing sanctuary and essential resources to the LGBTQ+ community. Since this nonprofit was founded in the early 1990s, it has given clients gender-affirming services, mental health programs, HIV tests, housing referrals, and more to aid, guide, and empower them daily.

The Hudson Pride Center has more big plans for its clients in the coming months. In December, they will host another holiday event similar to Friendsgiving, also at the Hudson County Community College. In addition, they will open a second Pride Center location in Union City around the second week of December, extending its reach throughout the county.

All in all, this Hudson Pride Friendsgiving gave the LGBTQ+ community something to be thankful for this holiday season. By welcoming them with open arms for a fun night of food and entertainment, this nonprofit continued to spread its message of love and acceptance to the people of Hudson County. With more on the horizon for Hudson Pride, its positive influence will only grow as it spreads further throughout New Jersey.