Annual Thanksgiving Feast Not Just for Homeless

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — In its 21st year, the Annual Community Thanksgiving Day Dinner, hosted by Columbia’s St. Peter’s Catholic Church and First Baptist Church, did not disappoint, as some 400 volunteers served more than 1,000 residents, homeless or not. One Midlands man says he stood in line for five hours to get something to eat. It paid off. He beat out thousands at the 21st Annual Thanksgiving Day Community Dinner at the Columbia Coliseum. However, not only was the holiday celebration for those who do not have a home, but also those who didn’t want to be alone for Thanksgiving. “We had a rough year,” said Susan Hall. She and her son, Devin, have a roof over their head, but food on the table is limited. “We’re not homeless, just unemployed. We had a difficult year. We didn’t have friends to sit with, but everyone here is so friendly.” That’s the message organizers from Columbia’s Saint Peter’s Catholic Church and First Baptist Church say they want to send: If you need to feel loved during the holidays, no matter your socio-economic background, race or ethnicity, you can at their annual celebration. Free reading glasses and winter clothes were also handed out. Arts and crafts were available for the kids. It was an atmosphere fit for a holiday where it’s better to give than to receive.