The holiday season is not just about shopping, but giving back to those who need it the most. NY1's Courtney Gross saw that in Harlem on Friday. She filed the following report.

There is Black Friday, but there is also Orange Friday. Orange symbolizes hunger awareness.

"When a lot of people are out shopping for Black Friday, we are doing something called Orange Friday, because a lot of the pantries and kitchens aren't open today. It's a holiday," said Brady Koch, chief programs officer at the Food Bank for New York City.

But here at the Food Bank for New York City in Harlem, they are. 

"I come here every day," said one patron. "The people is nice. I enjoy my company here."

While some may feel stuffed, the Food Bank for New York City is using the holiday season to highlight how a lot of New Yorkers go hungry. 

"You don't realize that there is a lot of people walking around that didn't have a meal last night and then come back again and not have a meal. We wanted to stop that," said Maxcel Hardy, chef of the Food Bank for New York City.

Every year, he says they see a 15 to 20 percent increase in need. In the last year, the organization doled out 62.5 million meals across the city. 

On tap Friday was chicken pot pie, brussel sprouts and peach cobbler, and a sense of community for the people that have lived in Harlem for decades. 

"I like the food, and it's convenient for me because like I said, I don't live too far away," said one attendee.

"I do receive food stamps, but you know, I still come to the center because most of the people here, I came up with. You know, it's a community-based thing," said another.

What's left over is sent to local homeless shelters.

Meanwhile, a troupe of volunteers were already hard at work in the basement on meals for next week, rosemary chicken with paprika. 

"I think organizations like this need people so that's one of the biggest things, but it also opens yourself up to an amazing experience of helping others. It also helps you as a person to feel good and give good."

The food bank is also in need of volunteers for early 2017. They are encouraging people to go to their website, foodbanknyc.org.