He's serving up turkey dinner to New York's hungry this holiday season, and he's also working in the trenches of Central America to help children in need. "Extra" got a rare glimpse into the private world of Dennis Quaid, the Hollywood hunk-turned-humanitarian.

"I'd been looking for a way to give back in my career," Quaid told us. "I feel like I've been blessed, and I'm very grateful for it."

In his latest Hollywood blessing, Quaid cozies up to Rene Russo in their new holiday comedy "Yours, Mine and Ours." He also just received a well-deserved star on the Walk of Fame.

But it's his life off screen that Dennis is most grateful for, and his beautiful new wife Kimberly and his 13-year-old son with Meg Ryan top the list. "I'm really particularly thankful for my family, my new marriage and the great friends I have around," Quaid said.

Earlier this month, Dennis' Tinseltown friends at hollywoodpoker.com dealt the 51-year-old actor a huge check for his favorite charity: the International Hospital for Children, which does most of its work in Central America.

"We build clinics," Quaid explained. "We supply medical supplies to these clinics."

And Dennis even donates his private plane to fly some of the littlest patients to the U.S. "We identify kids who need medical attention they can't get in their own countries," Quaid said. "So we bring them to the United States to get them better."

So on Thanksgiving, as Dennis and his family gather to give thanks, there are countless children around the world who no doubt are thanking him.