After 3 decades the idea of helping needy families on Thanksgiving Day which was initially started by two young adults, has grown by leaps and bounds. Yesterday my husband and I did our small part to help deliver 15,000 dinners in the Twin Cities. Yes, you read right...15,000 dinners. Each year local merchants and sponsors generously donate food, trucks, money and time to make all this happen with the help of volunteers who gather at a local high school, Cretin-Derham Hall, where the action begins early each Thanksgiving morning. Students, young and old adults arrive at 4 am to pack the dinner boxes and coordinate the effort. Drivers arrive at 7 am and wait in long lines to gather in the gymnasium and halls, receive a number, eventually get the three addresses for delivery, return to cars and again wait in one of three long lines to pick up the food boxes that are taken to the cars by more volunteers...frequently students of local parochial schools. Volunteer policemen and women help direct the traffic at several street corners near the school. We delivered a dinner for four to a disabled adult living in a high rise, an Hispanic couple received two boxes of food for 12 people, and we delivered a dinner for 10 to a black family. We arrived home at 10:30 am to begin our own holiday.The top row of the collage shows some of the tables that were set up outside, holding all the food. The middle row, with my favorite driver in the middle, shows the long line of cars ready to deliver the goods, and you can see the many drivers waiting in the gym to begin the deliveries in the bottom row. Notice the young students on the bottom right who used dollys to help carry the food to the cars that were waiting in line. Although waiting in all those lines was a bit tiring, everyone was convivial. Overall, it gave the day a special significance for all of us. We had a GREAT Thanksgiving!!
c'est une très bonne idée, bravo et je te souhaite un "Happy Thanksgiving"
ReplyDeleteis a very good idea, bravo and I wish you a "Happy Thanksgiving"
Great project, You have set an example! Gives to think about if we shouldn't organise something like this some time over here..
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to spend Thanksgiving morning. I'm amazed so many volunteers turned up and I think it's totally great that so many young people were involved.
ReplyDeleteGreat! I'm sure you've had a very good Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteToday and tomorrow, there is a big food collection in French supermarkets. Huge needs here too...
What a great way to start Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteAm sure you had a great Thanksgiving, Kate. When you give and do for others, as you did, you receive, of course and so good to know you've helped others have a good day. What a wonderful project this is and good to read - but sad too.
ReplyDeleteAnswer to your query is on Monte Carlo DP.
What a wonderful way to start your holiday. My goodness you have caring folks in your area. What a great place to live.
ReplyDeleteThat's an incredibly huge and apparently well organized program. I can hardly imagine the number of volunteers and months of advance planning necessary to pull this off. Very inspiring. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteWOW! What a wonderful idea! I have friends who serve at a Food kitchen, but I love the idea of delivering food right to the HOMES of people who need it.
ReplyDeleteGREAT WORK! Congratulations!
Fantastic....what an organized tremendous project.
ReplyDeleteI love being part of things like this.
We do this in the Miami area. There is one group that gets the money and then different churches cook the meals. Wednesday we helped in the cooking, my job was slicing the birds. Then on Thursday I went over to help with portioning and boxing. I didn't stay, there were at least 150 people working and taking the food to the people. We cooked 500 meals and the total for the city was 6000 meals. This is the second year we have been asked to do make some of the dinners. We also make a Christmas dinner on Christmas day for members that don't have any family. I started this when I was the head cook for our church. I donated my work in the church while I was practicing dentistry.
ReplyDeleteGreat shots, Kate.
ReplyDeleteWe have a number of churches here that always serve Thankgiving dinners, but this year one has switched to the same system: delivering dinner right to the door.
It was a great success!
You're right, Kate. I do love it. What a great, great project.
ReplyDeleteI have finally finished the semester! I'm 1/2 way through. YAY!
Hope you have a wonderful weekend.
Now, that's very impressive! I think that we'll have to follow your example for next year. We've always tried to include someone who is alone at our family dinner. I like the idea of serving others at their respective homes, too.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, what template are you using? I like the way it displays your photos.
A very heart-warming post, and it's fantastic to hear of people helping others in need. I've been reading a lot of great posts along these lines. With everything going on in the world, it reinforces one's faith in mankind to hear of those who can do great kindnesses. Thank you for your good deeds.
ReplyDeleteIt is peace in Mumbai at last.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all your prayers and good wishes.
Pray for all those who lost their lives and may God give strength to their near and dear ones to bear their irreparable loss.
That is quite an operation! Thanks for your visit and comment on my blog.
ReplyDeleteWhat a fabulous thing to do on Thanksgiving.....glad you had a good day!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful way to spend the morning - helping others enjoy the holiday! Good for you!!
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed much better to give than to receive. You have demonstrated this well.
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