RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — It is hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is less than a month away. The area’s largest community feast is celebrating ten years of serving this year.
Every year it grows and grows. Thousands now come together, offering friendly faces and fellowship.
“When we started this event, there were four of us. Two were in the kitchen, two were in the front, and it was just pandemonium,” remembers Vicki Neilson, founder of The Giving Heart.
She fondly looks back at those early days, how it’s evolved and the countless lives touched.
“A lot of people have a perception that it’s to feed the homeless, which we get the homeless, but we get so many other people there,” Neilson says. “I love this opportunity of looking in and seeing the diversity, and you see the ages and how happy people really are to do this.”
There is now sit-down service at 240 tables. Each one has a host to make it a special day for everyone who gathers. The event is signing up volunteers now. About as thousand children, teens and adults are needed to help. The Giving Heart is also accepting donations.
“You can tell someone already gave us a cranberry sauce,” Neilson holds up a can,” Which for some odd reason is always the thing we need the most of.”
Food items are needed, along with toiletries. The Giving Heart will pass them out so no one who has a need leaves empty-handed.
“My mother was a recipient years ago of Thanksgiving baskets, and so this is my way of honoring her. Which you’ll find so many of volunteers do that, they come and do something in memory of a loved one.”
Strangers become a family to give thanks for what they have and each other.
“We want everybody to understand it is their place on Thanksgiving,” Neilson says.
The 10th Annual Community Thanksgiving will be held on November 26 at the Greater Richmond Convention Center. Doors open at 9:30am. Food is served from 11am until 2:30pm.
This year there will be a make and take craft table, blanket giveaway and more.
