METRO DETROIT — Whether they’re looking for company around the dinner table or struggling to afford a holiday meal, Macomb County residents have several options for celebrating Thanksgiving this year.
Local churches and nonprofit organizations are preparing to offer free meals and distribute food to help residents enjoy the holiday, regardless of financial or family circumstances.
In Mount Clemens, the Salvation Army will host a community Thanksgiving meal from noon to 12:45 p.m. Nov. 25 at its Church Street location. The meal is open to anyone in the community and no registration is required, according to Major Barbara Owen, corps officer for the Mount Clemens Salvation Army.
Guests will be seated at decorated tables and served by volunteers instead of going through a traditional food line, she said. The meal will include turkey, dressing, potatoes, vegetables, rolls and pie.
Also in Mount Clemens, St. Peter Catholic Church will distribute turkeys and bags of traditional Thanksgiving sides on Nov. 19.
Jim Buckman, president of the parish’s St. Vincent de Paul society, said the organization typically distributes around 525 turkeys, although last year they gave away 722. The giveaway focuses on residents who utilize their food bank, with extra turkeys being given away to approximately 20 other churches and organizations, including the Capuchins and Vietnam Veterans Chapter 154.
He said the effort helps families who otherwise might not be able to afford a Thanksgiving meal.
“Some people even cry when they call us,” Buckman said. “We give them so much because they weren’t expecting to have a big meal for their family.”
He said the annual turkey drive has been happening for over a decade, with the church collecting donations over two weekends leading up to the distribution.
“Not only do we enjoy (the turkey drive) and giving back to people at the church so they can have a good holiday meal, but we also give it to the other churches and organizations because they don’t have the resources to do it,” Buckman said.
Woodside Bible Church is also distributing Thanksgiving food boxes through several of its campuses, including locations in Warren and Chesterfield. Those interested in receiving a box can find registration information and campus-specific distribution details at woodsidebible.org/thanksgiving-boxes.
Another resource for Thanksgiving meals comes from Detroit Thanksgiving, an initiative of Hungry for a Day, which is working to provide Thanksgiving meals to 2,000 families across metro Detroit this year.
The organization plans distributions in Warren and Harrison Township, as well as Detroit. According to a website dedicated to its fundraising campaign, a $40 donation provides a Thanksgiving meal for a family of four.
Additional information about the distributions and opportunities to donate or volunteer can be found at detroitthanksgiving.com.
For Buckman, who serves as the president of St. Vincent de Paul at St. Peters, the annual effort is ultimately about making sure families have the opportunity to enjoy the holiday.
“We just want to give everybody in need a good meal for Thanksgiving,” he said. “That’s our big goal.”
