More than 200 families opened their homes Thursday to over 700 airmen trainees from JBSA-Lackland for the 50th annual Operation Home Cooking.

The event allows local families to share Thanksgiving with U.S. Air Force Basic Military Training trainees who are away from home during the holidays.

JBSA-Lackland is looking for approximately 400 host families to participate in Operation Home Cooking and share Thanksgiving Day festivities with trainees who are in training and away from home during the holidays.

Approximately 330 families in San Antonio will be participating this year, including the Dennis Family.

About 330 families in the San Antonio area will be allowed to take part in a Thanksgiving Day tradition by hosting a pair of Air Force basic military training trainees in their home.

This year, a modified version of Operation Home Cooking returned with fewer host families and trainees. Participants said they felt right at home with the host families who opened their doors for them.

SAN ANTONIO – Leaders across the U.S. urged Americans to scale back their Thanksgiving family gatherings during the pandemic. Still, Laura Honsaker said she already knew in October hers would definitely be much smaller without Operation Home Cooking happening this year. “I’m used to having either between six and 12 here, and this year, I can’t even have one,” Honsaker said. “It was happiness.”No reminders to the “nth degree.”Honsaker said she would tell the trainees, “This is your home for the day. “I’m praying that next year is going to be better,” she said.