GIVING THANKS
Salvation Army feeds the needy
Jason Todd all but licked his plate clean after finishing his Thanksgiving dinner at the Salvation Army Sunday.
“It’s a very excellent meal,” the 44-year-old Windsor man said. “I’ve always been thankful for this place.”
Todd was one of around 300 people served up a meal at the Salvation Army’s first Thanksgiving Community Dinner. Complete with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and more, the meal received rave reviews from everyone seated. “It’s been a big help for the community,” Todd said, adding he knows what it’s like to be on the streets — he was once homeless himself. “They should have more of these meals.”
From 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., a steady stream of people came through the Salvation Army’s Church Street entrance, which was propped open. Smiling volunteers carried trays of food for elderly clients and others unable to move the heaping plates themselves. Several made repeat trips to the coffee pot for refills.
“We decided that we need to be more interactive in the community, and that’s what we’re doing,” said Susan Falodun, the organization’s community and family services manager. Earlier in the year, the local Sally Ann held its first Easter dinner.
In years past, the only annual holiday meal served by the Salvation Army was for Christmas. “This year, we decided to do something different,” she said, though the organization will continue its Christmas tradition. “We want to reach out to those who might be sitting down in their houses thinking about Thanksgiving without food. Some do have food, but we know that Thanksgiving is about family.”
“It’s about sharing,” she added, noting that laughter and conversation filled the organization’s dining room while people ate. “It’s about helping people around you. So that’s why we decided to bring everybody together.” Punctuating the line of volunteers scooping food onto plates was chef Jerry Walls, who was overjoyed to cook for those who were present.
“I get the most out of it because people say, ‘Thank you,’ ” said Walls. “They appreciate it, and it’s worth it.” Walls described the cranberries, carrots, gravy and other elements he’d prepared as “the whole nine yards.” He donned his white chef ’s hat while watching his food fill hungry bellies. “The volunteers here get so much out of it because they’re doing this from their hearts,” said Walls.
“There are so many places in the world where this doesn’t happen, so we’re proud to be a part of the Salvation Army this year.” The Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t have been possible without a generous donation to the organization from a local businessman.
Sam Sinjari, who has a recent history of donating turkeys to local agencies that feed those in need on holidays, provided 40 turkeys for the Salvation Army dinner. Earlier in the week, Sinjari told the Windsor Star his goal is to “inspire others and demonstrate in creative ways how one person can make a positive change.” Sinjari added, “It’s not what we have in life that matters, it’s what we do with what we have.”
In 2017, the Salvation Army’s local food bank served more than 12,000 people in Windsor.