Central Union Mission offered hope along with a hearty meal for Thanksgiving.
Hundreds went to the men's shelter in downtown D.C. for lunch and dinner, and demand is higher than it’s ever been, organizers said.
“When they come here, that’s what they find,” Vice President of Men’s Ministry Ronnie Stanley said. “They find hope. They find an idea that, hey look, this is not the end of my life, that my life can get better starting here.”
Even though Central Union Mission serves the DMV 365 days a year, Thanksgiving is special, organizers said.
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“We believe that no one should be homeless, hungry and hurting,” Stanley said. “So, the thing that we try to do at Central Union Mission is provide meals for those individuals and treat them with dignity, respect and honor.”
“Today, we didn't think that we were going to have pretty much like the second turnout the way that we did, but we did,” Stanley said about Thursday’s second seating. “We overflowed.”
Central Union Mission is the oldest social service organization in D.C. It’s not just about the food, organizers said. The fellowship is the real main course, and they’re looking to feed the soul.
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“We care about each other, we love each other and we kind of support each other,” guest Krystian-Nathan Dawson said. “So, we’re missing our families, but in a sense, we are family.”
Preparation for the family-style feast featuring all the Thanksgiving favorites started nine days ago.
Central Union Mission said it’s always looking for volunteers and donations.
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