Thanksgiving came early this year for Nicholas and his family.  In fact, they were only one of the many families to receive a thanksgiving dinner Sunday, complete with all the trimmings.  Nicholas' dad says making ends meet is tough, with the economy in a slump, and it would've been hard to put a turkey on the table without a little help.    
     "We're just trying to get the supplies for Thanksgiving dinner and have a little extra since the economy is poor and times are tough," Scott Leggett said.
     Nicholas, along with his mom and dad and his little brother and sister, waited in a long line at Trinity United Methodist Church in Northwest Gainesville to get a Thanksgiving basket.  the baskets are filled with everything from graving and stuffing to canned fruits and vegetables.
     Event sponsors say the Leggetts aren't the only family feeling the pinch of a bad economy... in fact, the number of families given baskets this year has doubled from last year.
     "Obviously everybody knows the economic situation right and and i just think a lot more families are feeling tight on their budgets," Andrew Pridgen, Director of Missions at Trinity United Methodist, said.
      Last year, 800 families received a basket.  But this year, Pridgen says they expect to serve nearly 2,000 area families. 
     Thirty-three local agencies also helped to provide these baskets. 
     Nicholas' father says he's grateful... because now he doesn't have to worry about his family doing without a Thanksgiving dinner.
     "We won't have to scrape to get the things we need," Leggett said.