Where were you this Thanksgiving? At your grandparent’s house surrounded by family members? Cooking a big meal at home for friends? Or volunteering your time and serving Thanksgiving dinner to those in need?
The Salvation Army helps thousands of people who might not otherwise have a place to go celebrate Thanksgiving each year.
One of our largest annual Thanksgiving feasts is in Orlando, FL where, for the 17th year in a row, The Salvation Army teamed up with “Helping from the Heart” founder and Golden Corral restaurants franchisee, Eric Holm, to serve the state’s largest Thanksgiving meal. The Salvation Army served close to 25,000 people this year which was an increase from the 21,000 people served last year as the overall need for food and other services has continued to increase.
So, you may be wondering, how is it possible to serve Thanksgiving dinner to 25,000 people? Local chefs and more than 1,000 volunteers helped prep and serve the food to everyone that came through the doors. Sprint provided cell phone stations to people who wanted to get in touch and reconnect with family and friends for the holiday. Pepsi also provided drinks and supplies for the occasion.
The Salvation Army in Orlando was not the only place whipping up a big meal this year. Ten Salvation Army centers in New York City were hard at work on Turkey Day providing food for around 10,000 people - many of whom are without a job or home this year.
In Southern California, meanwhile, The Salvation Army served dinner to more than 12,000 people throughout the region. Check out this video, to get a sense of what that means.
I wonder what 49,600 ounces of gravy would look like … mmmm … Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!