MEMPHIS, Tennessee — Annual efforts to feed those in need will continue for Thanksgiving this year. The process will just be a little different.
Westy's will feed more than 1,000 meals on Thanksgiving. Dine-in will be closed and lines will be kept socially distance as they dish out meal after meal. It begins at 9 a.m.
MEMFeast is back this year too. Instead of having one big dining event downtown, MEMFeast will deploy six food trucks to areas of the city most in need.
“This year as oppose to having it at city hall and they’re having renovations down there anyway, I said let’s meet the people where they are," Brian Harris, lead organizer of MEMFeast said. "Let’s go into the communities that we serve and we’ll have an even bigger impact so this year is critical. I think it’ll be the biggest year we’ve ever seen."
Harris said after making enough food to serve 1,000 people last year, this year they've upped it to 3,000.
The meals are available to anyone in need, not just the homeless community, Harris said.
Over in East Memphis, Napa Cafe owner Glenda Hastings opens her dining room for free meals on Thanksgiving every year for what's known as Donna's Table. This year, the dining room will stay closed.
Instead, they're busy preparing and prepping boxes of Thanksgiving meals with turkeys and all their specialty sides that will be delivered to people and families starting on the morning of Thanksgiving. Those boxes will also include a dining cloth and table decorations to complete the meal experience.
“I always say if you’ve got something to give. Give it," Hastings said. "And not worry about holding on to something for the fear that you won’t have it. Instead, be the opposite and share what you have and again, that’s what Donna’s Table is all about.”
More information on the MEMFeast locations can be found below:
