Volunteers serve Thanksgiving meal to thousands
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — While many Hoosiers sit down to a Thanksgiving meal, some people across the state aren’t so lucky.
That’s why thousands of volunteers gave up their holiday to serve the annual Mozel Sanders Annual Thanksgiving Dinner.
“We have dressing, turkey, this is apple crisp, green beans, and dinner rolls,” said volunteer Brittanye Turintine.
An estimated 2,000 people spent the day volunteering to feed 40,000 Hoosiers from 44 sites around Indianapolis.
This is the third year for Turintine and her family — they said they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“Why give up Thanksgiving? Because I have the time, my family can wait. I get my dinner done Wednesday. So why not come and do it Thursday morning?” said Turintine.
They’ve been helping to prepare, create and serve thousands of meals since Wednesday night.
To give you an idea of how much food they’re working with, they’re dishing out 15,000 pounds of turkey and 10,000 pounds of dressing.
This is the 47th year for the Mozel Sanders Foundation dinner. It’s Tim Spear’s first time volunteering here.
“I’m blessed in my life,” said Spears. “I feel blessed to be able to help someone else out, have a meal today that wouldn’t otherwise have one.”
That’s the same reason Gov. Eric Holcomb took time to dish out some Thanksgiving meals.
“I don’t want anyone to feel like they’re drowning in a sea of opportunity. While people are smiling all around them, they’ve got a lot of stress going on or they’re worried about where the next meal might come from,” Holcomb said. “There are people in this community, in our state. … This is what our state’s all about. Hoosiers helping Hoosiers.”
“People are in need. It’s a universal issue, a universal concern,” said U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, a Democrat representing Indianapolis, who was volunteering Thursday morning.
“Poverty rates are increasing, not only in our state, but nationwide. When people of good will have a chance to give back, the Mozel Sanders is a great effort, why not?” said Carson.