Thanksgiving Fund Supports Dinner for Thousands

Thanksgiving 2004For 20 years, a dedicated band of volunteers has served up a complete Thanksgiving dinner—from turkey and mashed potatoes to pumpkin pie – for the city’s homeless, hungry, homebound, and elderly poor; over 4,000 meals each year. Greensboro Urban Ministry provides the kitchen facilities and dining room, but funds to support the dinner come directly from the community. It’s easy to give—and every bit helps. Click here to give to the Thanksgiving Fund and help make this special event possible. 

Volunteers begin preparing food on Wednesday evening before Thanksgiving, followed by an early morning crew on the big day that cooks, serves, transports meals and cleans up. The meals are served to people who come to the Greensboro Urban Ministry facility, and also are delivered to the homebound, those living with HIV/AIDS, the elderly, and Meals-on-Wheels clients.           

The dinner was organized in 1987 by Mary Lacklen, owner of Bert’s Seafood Grille and was initially funded by the Greensboro Restaurant Association.  Over the years membership in the GRA diminished and alternative funding had to be found.  Five years ago Wendy Lavine, then with the Triad Health Project, was instrumental in establishing a fund that is earmarked solely for this dinner; and the Thanksgiving Fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro was established.           

Although Greensboro Urban Ministry provides the kitchen facilities and dining room, funds for the Thanksgiving feast come directly from the community. This year it will cost about $12,000 to provide dinner for 4,000 people in the city, according to Lavine.  Ken Conrad, owner of Libby Hill Seafood, who has been involved with the dinner for many years will again be one of the lead organizers with Mary Lacklen.   



Get involved! Giving is easy. Gifts can be made by check to The Thanksgiving Fund c/o Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro, PO Box 20444, Greensboro, NC  27420 or in person at Foundation Place at 330 South Greene Street or online by credit card using the form below.   

For your protection, all transactions are processed through a Verisign secure server site. You will not be required to provide a credit card number until you hit submit on this page and are taken to the secure site. Please note that all donations represent an irrevocable gift to a fund at the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro. All information is kept strictly confidential and will not be shared with third parties.

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