BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – Thanksgiving is nearly here, and one Burlington nonprofit dished out all the fixings a day early, free of charge.
Feeding Champlain Valley on Wednesday served up Thanksgiving meals and good company.
“I came here to enjoy and celebrate with the community here in Vermont,” said Mukta, a Burlington resident enjoying the mid-day meal. “We’re having a big cookout. Everyone is eating, laughing, so we’re having a good time.”
The organization held its annual Thanksgiving dinner at a time when organizers say it’s needed most. “We see more people than we usually do at our facility,” said Midhat Hadzic, the group’s operations manager.
It’s a culmination of the organization’s week-long Thanksgiving program, providing both ingredients and fully cooked meals to those who want it.
“You know, it’s just the foundation of the earth, of being loving of one another and caring,” said Betsy, who says she came to fill her belly and her heart. “All these different cultures and people and backgrounds and skin colors and people of different socio-economic levels come together to enjoy peaceful, wonderful meals together.”
Feeding Champlain Valley usually sees up to 200 people daily using their services. Those numbers bump to around 300 around the holidays.
“We are definitely feeling more and more pressure, I will say, in way of how to provide for now an increasing number of people,” Hadzic said.
He says donations and volunteers help to ease that pressure.
Weekly warm meals are available from 9 to 11 Monday through Friday.