Jeremy Renner Takes Daughter To Help Homeless Amid Custody Battle

Jeremy Renner seems to be trying to show he should get sole custody of his daughter as he battles his ex-wife in court ... taking Ava to pass out jackets and food to the homeless.

The actor spent part of his Thanksgiving handing out blankets, jackets and meals to the homeless in Reno, Nevada ... with his 6-year-old daughter right by his side.

Jeremy joined forces with The Hope Bus to feed and clothe the homeless ... he's got a place in nearby Lake Tahoe and we're told he heard about what the organization was doing and wanted to lend a helping hand with Ava.

We're told Jeremy brought two big cartons filled with blankets, and he helped serve over 100 meals ... spending about 3 hours with Ava giving some needy folks much to be thankful for.

People were really excited to see the movie star ... we're told everyone recognized Jeremy and knew who he was, and Renner wasn't shy about giving out hugs.

Jeremy's good deeds with Ava come amid a nasty custody battle with his ex, Sonni Pacheco ... with allegations against both parents flying left and right.

As we've reported ... Sonni claims Jeremy is a substance-abusing loose canon who she says threatened to kill her as well as himself. Jeremy denied that, and says Sonni is actually the parent with a substance abuse issue. He also says she's obsessed with sex, and called her a liar and mentally unstable.

Sonni's trying to put herself in a good light too ... taking Ava to a pumpkin patch last month for a fun mommy and daughter day.