Local charities are providing holiday meals
This Christmas weekend, several charities in Humboldt County are providing a free meal to those who couldn’t afford one on their own.
The Eureka Rescue Mission handed out turkey lunches and the Betty Kwan Chinn Foundation will offer prime rib dinners on Christmas Eve and the St. Vincent de Paul Society will provide a ham meal on Christmas day.
“Why can’t they have it, because they’re homeless they can’t have a prime rib dinner for Christmas? It’s very special for everybody to have a good dinner,” Betty Chinn, director of the Betty Kwan Chinn Foundation, said. “You don’t have to be rich to eat a prime rib.”
Roughly 400 people have signed up to get a meal delivered from the foundation, and the prime rib dinner will come with vegetables and pie.
The meal at St. Vincent’s on Saturday will happen from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 35 Third Street in Eureka, and people who attend will also be given utility bags full of socks, gloves, hygiene products and other necessities for outdoor living in Humboldt County during the winter months.
“If the weather allows, we’re going to have our usual blocking off of Third Street and have chairs out there and maybe tables as well to allow the people to enjoy their holiday meal,”Bob Santilli, a board member at St. Vincent’s, said. “We’re kind of at the whim of mother nature right now as to what we’ll actually do. If it’s really coming down, we’ll probably put the meal in a clamshell container that they can take somewhere else and consume.”
The meal will be ham with a side of green bean casserole, stuffing, mashed potatoes and a dessert. Guests are welcome to seconds if they’re still hungry after the first serving.
The Eureka Rescue Mission had their meal on Friday from noon to 2 p.m., and served a turkey dinner with cranberry sauce and assorted holiday food items at their shelter at 110 Second Street in Eureka.
“We’ve been giving out copious amounts of holiday food boxes, I think we gave out at least 80 for Thanksgiving, and we’re looking to do that if not more for Christmas,” Bryan Hall, executive director of the rescue mission, said.
Santilli noted that they will have a Santa to distribute toys to families and children at the
Christmas meal.
“If we can convey some joy to people, it’s probably the essence of what our mission is. We’re trying to provide what most people would call a delicious, nutritious meal that pretty
much every average family in America would be serving on that day, and then hopefully, the individuals serving are bringing an extension of friendliness and happiness to them that they feel welcomed, and respected, and appreciated,” Santilli said.