Thousands Receive Thanksgiving Meal

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — Tuesday marked the busiest day of the year for the Harvest Hope Food Bank. Shelves at the food bank emptied out for most of the day. “It’s a blessing, it’s a blessing,” says Lula Daniels, Harvest Hope recipient. For Daniels, Thanksgiving is spent with family. “I cook Thanksgiving dinner for my family, my whole family, all of my Grandchildren they be there and we dine together,” says Daniels. For that she is thankful, she also says she’s giving thanks this year for her health. “You know to be 92 year old still cooking, going to church,” says Daniels. She’s been feeding her family Thanksgiving dinner for more than 30 years and a family must-have, she says she’s told, is her candied yams. “They say nobody makes them like me,” says Daniels. But the candied yams and Thanksgiving dinner wouldn’t be possible, she says, without help from Harvest Hope. “Whatever you get, will help you, you don’t have to buy it. The little bit of foodstamps you get is not enough to keep you going,” says Daniels. Tuesday, she was one of many families picking up necessities for Thanksgiving. “I didn’t look to see what they gave me, but I didn’t have to buy it. I appreciate it,” says Daniels. Harvest Hope also had extra helping hands today through volunteers from Ben Lippen Christian School. It’s all part of an effort to make sure Midlands families have Thanksgiving, a day Daniels says should be spent with those with love the most. “Try to have your family together and be thankful to the Lord for being able,” says Daniels. Yesterday alone, 888 families were helped by Harvest Hope. Today, at just the Shop Road location more than 400.