Making sure no one goes hungry this Thanksgiving was the goal of New Mount Zion Baptist church in the St. Clair-Superior neighborhood. The church hosted its annual Thanksgiving Dinner for the community.
“We have people that can come in and grab a plate, sit down and eat, or they can grab a plate and take it with them. And then there's also people that we serve who are sick and shut in, and we deliver meals to their homes," said Executive Pastor, Dr. Crystal Walker.
Samuel Zegarac was excited when he realized he wasn’t going to spend Thanksgiving alone.
"It really means something to me to be here. I was looking for a free meal because I had nowhere else to go, and I found this amazing event,” said Zegarac.
It’s all hands on deck, especially for their youth ministry, which hosts the annual gratitude dinner every year.
"It's so important that we get our youth involved because as we get older, the next generation is going to be taking over. So, it's instilling a good quality in them, and they are so happy to serve,” said Walker.
The group serves around 150 people in the neighborhood by dine-in and take-out.
"They feel loved, and they are grateful. They can't believe that we're doing this in the community and for the community,” said Walker.
Organizers like Shalonda Overton say it’s a rewarding experience and comes at a critical time following the government shutdown.
"There are families right now that are struggling, and just every little bit helps. Even if you do have, there are people that don't have anywhere to go. We even get a lot of people that are single coming in or that we deliver meals to so they could enjoy and fellowship with us,” said Walker.
All while providing a welcoming environment.
"I felt warm, positivity, kindness, and they're doing really great work here for the people around them, and their community and those that might not have [a] place to go,” said Zegarac.
The church also hosts a food pantry for those in need twice a month.
