Marking 50 years with 11,000 meals
Nonprofit began tradition for youth in crisis; annual feast now draws varied crowd
Hundreds of people of all different backgrounds came together at First Presbyterian Church for a Thanksgiving meal. Some don’t have family in town to celebrate with, others may not even have a home, but they all had someone to share a meal with on Thanksgiving.
Equinox, a nonprofit that works with domestic violence sur vivors and homeless youth, ser ved its first dinner at the church 50 years ago. It was initially supposed to be for youth in crisis, but then a snowstorm hit the Capital Region and many college students in the area had nowhere to go. Many of the students came over to First Presbyterian, and a total of 200 people attended the first event.
Now, volunteers prepare about 11,000 meals to be delivered to anyone who lives within a 50-mile radius of Albany, and a buffet-style dinner is still ser ved at First Presbyterian Church, said Christina Rajotte, director of development and marketing for Equinox.
“It doesn’t matter who you are or what your income is; anybody can get a meal,” Rajotte said. “It could be someone who is homeless or a senior who has no family around.”
David “Malik ” Moore, came just looking to get a bite to eat. He’s homeless and otherwise wouldn’t be able to have a meal at all.
“I think it ’s a nice thing the community does and it enforces the fact that no one should go unfed,” Moore said.
While eating his dinner, he chatted with a man across the table. They discovered they both liked jazz and bluegrass, and Moore said that he sometimes plays music in Washington Park.
A few tables over, Jesse J. Hogans III, was having his first Equinox Thanksgiving dinner. He worked as a substance abuse counselor, at several outpatient facilities in Albany, and one of his clients recommended it. Hogans has no family in the area, so he thought he would g ive it a tr y.
“I pass by this place (First Presbyterian Church) every day, and I never knew what it was or that they did this dinner, but I’m glad I came,” Hogans said.
The dinner was made possible by the efforts of 4,000 volunteers. About 1,000 volunteers worked as drivers who helped deliver the meals. Many of the volunteers have been prepping and cooking the food since Sunday.
Walking around the church with a foam, pumpkin-pie hat was Peter Knechtal, a former volunteer coordinator with
Equinox. He now lives in Sarasota, Fla., but Knechtal felt compelled to return to the church on Thanksgiving to volunteer again.
“Now I just walk around with a pie on my head, helping wherever I can,” Knechtal said.
The volunteers, he said, could have slept in Thursday, but instead they decided to ser ve warm meals to complete strangers.
“It ’s truly hands and hearts together,” he said. “Not something you see much of in America these days.”
Looking around the church, Knechtal said he was happy to see people come together and share a meal in peace – something he said he wished happened every day.
“This is harmony,” Knechtal said. “This is community. I think it ’s magic.”
Rajotte said the volunteers’ efforts go beyond the work they put in for the Thanksgiving meal. Any surplus food is given to area food pantries and soup kitchens. Volunteer cooks will make turkey soup and freeze it so soup kitchens can ser ve it throughout the winter. Rajotte credits the volunteers and the community for making the meal possible.
“So much has changed in 50 years, but one thing that has stayed the same is the generosity of this community,” Rajotte said.