Chesnee residents spend hundreds a week cooking for homeless

CHESNEE, S.C. (WSPA) – Every Wednesday afternoon for over a year, Teresa Thompson and about half-a-dozen of her Chesnee neighbors have been cooking food for the homeless and handing out take-out boxes at Cada Park.

"All our food is made homemade, at home, in our kitchen," said Thompson, a convenience store sales clerk.

Her rag-tag group of volunteers are not funded by anyone but their own wallets, telling 7NEWS hundreds are spent each week buying food and cooking it at home.

"We spend $150-$200 a week," said Thompson. "And that's just out of my pocket."

Another volunteer, Mary, told 7NEWS she spent $170 this week.

Thompson said the tradition started when her own daughter, who was volunteering at Meal-on-Wheels in Spartanburg, decided to try and make a difference in the Chesnee community.

"You're standing in a window watching them at 5:30 in the morning, unwrap wrappers from a trash can and bite out of it. I mean, that just does something to you," said Thompson.

From meat loaf to fried chicken and macaroni to cornbread, everything is homemade.

"When I find out someone needs help or needs food or something, we'll fix them a bag and take it to them or cook a meal and give it to them," said Mildred Mcintyre, a volunteer and former nurse who cooked beans this week.

Thompson said the City of Chesnee gave them permission to use Cada Park every Wednesday as a base to hand out food. She said the most they've gotten was about 170 people in one day. On Wednesday, they clocked 90 people who received a warm meal.

One of those people was Debbie, a Rutherford County resident, who was coming to pick up food for her 86-year-old neighbor.

"That's special for me to do for him and these people. They're all wonderful, wonderful people," said Debbie.

Thompson said giving back to others creates a warm feeling inside of her.

"I lost my son. January will be four years ago and this puts some joy back into my heart," said Thompson.

Thompson said they hand out food – rain or shine – every Wednesday and you don't have to be homeless to get food, all you need to be is hungry.

Food is served until it's all gone.

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