It’s the holiday season again, and while that means family, friends, warm meals, and gifts for many, it can be a very painful time of year for those in need. That’s why the Salvation Army and the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank commit every year to serving the needs of those less fortunate, to make sure the warmth and welcome of the season is extended to as many as possible.
This year, the Salvation Army and Food Bank will once again offer Thanksgiving meals to central peninsula residents in need. Meals will be delivered to those who request one, but large meals will also be served for all who attend.
The Salvation Army meal will be served from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day at the Salvation Army Church on North Forest Drive, and the Food Bank Meal will be served on Wednesday, Nov. 27, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the Fireweed Diner.
“We’re going back to our community sit-down dinner, and we hope to have around 150 to 200 dinners,” said Craig Fanning with the Salvation Army. “We do minimal deliveries for those who just can’t come in, but our philosophy has always been that Thanksgiving is a family dinner time. So, I want the folks that have been coming over the years, we’ve been doing this for 30 some years now, to come in.”
“We’re doing our Thanksgiving meal in the Fireweed Diner from 11:30 AM to 1:00 PM [on Wednesday],” said Claire Jones with the Kenai Peninsula Food Bank. “It’s just going to be all the Thanksgiving favorites with we have a ton of desserts, so an emphasis on desserts.”
Fanning says the priority is making sure as many people as possible have the chance to celebrate the holiday with others. “We just truly don’t want anybody to be alone on Thanksgiving. So if you know a couple that don’t have their kids at home anymore but still want the fellowship of more, you know that that communal type dinner, this is the place.”