Community organizations across the greater New Haven area are working together to make sure there’s a Thanksgiving meal for those who need one.
It’s quite the task, but volunteers from the downtown evening soup kitchen, Knights of St. Patrick and First Congregational Church of West Haven each have a plan for their part in “Thanksgiving for All,” an annual event led by Interfaith Volunteer Care Givers.
At the First Congregational Church Wednesday afternoon, the sweet potatoes were carefully covered in a sauce that smelled sweet and delicious.
“There’s 32 servings per pan, we’ve got 11 pans,” church member Bill Ewry said.
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He said the church has served meals on Thanksgiving Day for decades and this year, their service is counted among 1,200 meals planned through Thanksgiving for All.
They’re planning to hand out 350 meals at homes and in person.
“It’s fulfillment, it’s happiness and it’s just joy in a room,” volunteer Christine Chan said.
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Downtown evening soup kitchen is also part of the Thanksgiving for All project. Their team prepared 700 meals to deliver to homes - an increase from last year’s totals.
Yale Hospitality, Hopkins School, Chabaso Bakery and Christopher Martins all joined the effort.
“There’s going to be the typical things. There’s turkey, there’ll be sweet potatoes, stuffing, there’s cranberry sauce, typical Thanksgiving meal. That’s what people expect and that’s what people tend to like,” Executive Director Steve Werlin said.
And that’s why Thanksgiving for All is so important year after year.
“Thanksgiving for All truly is for all. For volunteers, for those helping to cook, for those helping with phone calls, the connections that we’re making with seniors in particular,” said Dan Camenga of Interfaith Volunteers Care Givers, the group behind Thanksgiving for All.
Camenga said the centralized approach helps reduce confusion for seniors and homebound people looking forward to a hot Thanksgiving meal.
“To be able to bring cohesion, work with partners,” Camenta said about the collective effort. “We’re serving seniors throughout the entire county tomorrow.”
And there’s excitement as the team gets ready for an in-person meal, too.
“I want everybody to feel like they’re eating with family,” Ewry said.
