Salvation Army preparing to feed hot Thanksgiving meals to 350 people on Thursday

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - The Salvation Army in Lubbock is preparing to provide a hot Thanksgiving meal for those who may not have somewhere else to celebrate the holiday.

The impact of the community lunch goes past the plate, providing fellowship to those experiencing homelessness or struggling to get by.

Erica Hitt-Perry, director of Social Services, says the Salvation Army is prepared to serve the homemade meal to 350 people.

“We’ve got turkey and dressing and gravy, turkey gravy, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, the cranberry sauce, the homemade rolls and every flavor of pie you can imagine,” Hitt-Perry said.

It will provide the holiday tradition for its clients in the dining hall, and for anyone who needs a place to celebrate at the community lunch in the church.

“Some of them will go be with family members, but then there’s there’s a lot of individuals, this is a hard time for them because they may not have family. They may not have anyone,” she said. “And that’s kind of why we open our doors, and we are family here.”

Hitt-Perry says the food and fellowship are critical for those with nowhere to go.

“Most of the holidays, nobody’s open. A lot of businesses are closed. A lot of restaurants are closed. So, to have that good, hot meal on Thanksgiving, I mean, it’s needed,” she said.

It’s an event volunteers prepare for all week. Hitt-Perry is especially thankful for those who have graduated from the Salvation Army’s programs and come back to eat and even volunteer.

“To know that they keep coming back every Thanksgiving and they choose to eat it with us. Now, that’s something special. So, I’ll hold on to that. I know that we’re doing the right thing, just really for that reason alone,” she said.

The community lunch is Thursday from 11 to 12:30 p.m. at the Salvation Army Church at 1111 16th Street.