MEMPHIS, Tenn. — We are less than 3 weeks away from Thanksgiving. Due to the pandemic, the organizers of city led MEM-feast are planning a very different Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless and needy.
And they are asking churches and other institutions to do the same.
Last year's Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless took place in front of city hall. Prior to last year, the event at the Cook Convention center. It typically took hundreds of volunteers to pull it off. But this year, things are different.
"This year once COVID hit, gathering is not a great idea," said Dr. J. Lawrence Turner, Pastor at Mississippi Blvd. Christian Church.
Pastor Turner and other Mem-feast organizers had to figure out how to hold the annual event, COVID-style.
"How can we make this happen? People are still going to be hungry. There are needs that still need to be met," said Turner.
The solution? Food will be cooked at various church facilities. The meals will be put in to-go boxes, and area food trucks will take the meals to various sites across the city where they are most needed.
In addition to the grab and go food, they hope to also provide medical services like COVID-19 testing and flu shots.
"We are going to be giving away a number of things like hand sanitizer and socks, that those who are homeless need," said Turner.
Because Memphis City Hall is under renovation, Mississippi Blvd. Christian church is leading the event, along with about 10 other churches that have signed on to help.
Turner says not having the event at one location will make this Mem-feast very different than in the past.
"We're still meeting the need, but that sense of coming together, that I really think we need in these times, is not going to be present."
Usually, hundreds of volunteers work this event but because of social distancing, the number of volunteers will be limited, which is why organizers hope additional churches and agencies will step up to help fill the gap or help donate to the cause.
"We see this as an opportunity for Memphis to come together. Although we can't have the volume of volunteers we typically had, organizations and churches are welcome to join us in pulling this off."
If you are interested in helping out email MEMfeast@theblvd.org.
