Columbia organization provides Thanksgiving dinner for those in need
COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ)
Powerhouse Community Development passed out food boxes to the community Saturday as an effort to make sure everyone had a meal for the Thanksgiving holiday as part of its "A Time to Give Thanks" holiday event.
The giveaway took place at Parkade Plaza on Business Loop 70 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
The organization will wrap up its holiday event efforts with a Thanksgiving meal that is also free to the community in honor of Kentrell Minton and his godmother Almeta Crayton who started the Everybody Eats tradition for the Columbia Community over 20 years ago.
Powerhouse Community Development says the free Thanksgiving meal will take place Thursday at the Columbia Senior Activity Center on Business Loop 70 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.
The boxes were packed by the organization with numerous Thanksgiving dinner items like stuffing mix, gravy, some vegetables and a turkey.
The event was free to the community and each family was given one Thanksgiving food box.
Powerhouse Community Development said it was able to show appreciation to the community and offer at least 1,500 turkeys thanks to donations.
"I just want them to know Powerhouse loves them. We're doing this as a love gesture.No publicity in it. Just want to make a difference. You know, we took over this event, another organization was doing it, Ms. Almeta Crayton, and we just stepped up to keep the event going in the community," said Charles Stephenson, CEO, and Co-Founder of PowerHouse Community Development.
The organization held the same event for the 2021 Thanksgiving Holiday and anticipated giving out at least 500 turkeys to community members.
Community member, Sophia Walker waited since 7 a.m. to be the first in line.
"It means a lot actually because it's a lot of families who really can't afford to get a turkey or really anything," Walker said.
Debbie Baker is another woman who waited hours, she agreed the organization's help will give much financial relief.
"It's a lot of us that is struggling because the price of the food is so high and that it is a total absolute blessing for something to be happening for a lot of people today," Baker said.
Powerhouse Community Development said it had help from over 100 volunteers to make the Saturday event happen.
Stephenson said if they started to run out of food, they had stores on standby and would work longer if that's what it took to feed everyone.
"If the lines here and we got turkey we will not shut down. Until every turkey and every box is given," said Stephenson.
If you want to make donations to the organization, you can donate at the Powerhouse Community Development office inside Parkade plaza or on their Facebook page.
