The Way World Outreach Serves 2,000 Hot Thanksgiving Meals

In the spirit of Thanksgiving, over 400 volunteers with The Way World Outreach served 2,000 hot meals at the church's Mission campus on N. Arrowhead Avenue on Nov. 26, prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, and handed out more than 120 full meal baskets to those in need. The event came after a month of planning and plenty of donations of food and other supplies needed to bring the meal to life, explained Janet Casas, the church's Downtown Mission director who led the event. Church members donated turkeys and other Thanksgiving trappings that were purchased from the 2nd Harvest Food Bank in Riverside. Community Action Partnership of San Bernardino County also donated food items, she explained. "We're all servants and when you serve each other, you really create and feel an atmosphere of love, community and harmony," Casas said. Individuals from all walks of life came to enjoy a fully traditional Thanksgiving meal, she explained. From families, to the homeless, to some living on the streets and struggling with addiction, no one was turned away. Casas said the church has been hosting Thanksgiving events like this one for about seven years. "We, at Mission especially, see such a need for people on the street where they need somewhere to go; where they're not just being fed but where they feel like they have family," Casas said. "So that's what we wanted to do. Our goal was to make them feel like they're participating in a real Thanksgiving family meal. A lot of people, you know, are living on the streets and they don't have family or a place where they can come to get that." The church tries to take it one step further, providing music and offering giveaways to give a sense of togetherness to those who attended the dinner event. "The food is amazing, of course, but our objective is, even though they're in the streets, we want them to feel like they're having a meal with family," she said. "To do that, each table has hosts and the volunteers we had were just as happy and having just as good a time as those who were eating." Throughout the day, 12 kitchen teams served food to four seating areas. Casas said 200 turkeys were cooked and served in shifts throughout the day. Remaining Thanksgiving food was given out in bags or donated to other local families in the neighborhood. "When you see their faces when they get their food, especially the families with children, and have them say thank you, it makes all your hard work totally worth it," said Casas, who paused as tears came to her eyes. "There was a couple who I said hello to as they were standing in line and you could see they were sort of skinny and withdrawn. When they saw me they said, 'Thank you for everything you're doing here.' You could see they felt like they were important. Sometimes that's all that people need; is for someone to let them know that they matter. Casa said that, as a community, when we come together we can bring hope to others. "Those who may have resources should give to those who have needs," she said. "That's what we do. We are willfully sharing."