A WEEKEND OF GIVING
Feeding Windsor serves up annual Christmas meals to those in need
Just over 150 people gathered on the city’s east end Saturday at New Song Church for the annual Christmas dinner provided by Feeding Windsor.
The non-profit group that provides meals across the city to those in need throughout the year is also providing 10 Christmas meals in various locations this holiday season, but the event at the Drouillard Road church is held at the organization’s base location.
It was the 25th annual Christmas dinner held by New Song Church and fifth since Feeding Windsor has provided the meal.
“Tonight is the chance for everyone here to come together and enjoy a full Christmas dinner with their neighbours and their community,” said Rodger Fordham, program co-ordinator for Feeding Windsor.
“We will be doing this all across the city, going right into people’s community. (These Christmas meals) help build the neighbourhood right where the people are.”
Fordham estimated over the next week his group’s holiday meals of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie will feed up to 1,800 people.
“People can go on our website (feedingwindsor.ca) and see where we will be serving,” he said. “We have meals downtown and on the west end.”
The assistant pastor for the last six years, Wodaje Tekeste, said so many people in the east-end community value the annual Christmas meal at New Song Church.
“Jesus is the reason for the season, so every time we can come together — especially as a community and for this neighbourhood — it’s like a family,” he said.
“We get to sit down with a stranger or our friends and share Christmas. Tonight is about giving, kindness and compassion, it’s not about the food. It’s about coming together and caring for each, so that’s what we are doing here tonight.”
With so many problems across the city in terms of homelessness, addictions and mental health issues, Feeding Windsor through its dinner program, lunch clubs and food club is now “touching so many people,” Tekeste said.
“People can always come here or many other places and have a meal, celebrate together, so it’s really a wonderful thing,” he said.
Over 20 youth-group members from Grace and Truth Chapel, located in South Windsor, joined in at Saturday’s event to help serve those attending the dinner and with clean up afterward.
“They are ages Grade 7 up to university,” said Mike Smith, the church’s youth-group co-ordinator. “This is the second Christmas, but we also help put on a barbecue here in the summer.
Smith grew up not too far from the Drouillard Road area, so appreciates being able to come back and “give to the people who need” in the east-end neighbourhood.
“For a lot of these kids in our youth group, it’s an opportunity to see how there are a lot of people in Windsor who need some help,” he said.