MILFORD, Del. - Milford Advocacy for the Homeless hosted its fourth annual Thanksgiving meal service on Thursday afternoon at the House of David, offering warm holiday meals to community members who may otherwise go without.
For founder and president Martha Gery, the event has become a tradition.
"It’s just wonderful to be able to bless people who are either insecure with food, or they just simply are somebody who needs to be with somebody, because our mental state is really important on Thanksgiving, and a lot of people are alone," Gery said.
Some attendees told CoastTV News the event makes a significant difference during difficult times.
"I had some really bad things happen this year. I lost my husband. I lost my house. I lost my car, I lost everything I had, so I'm just glad there are places like this that I can go," Johnna of Milford said.
More than 60 volunteers worked together to serve the holiday meal.
"It is an amazing day to have to give back to a community that we are just we're just indebted to," Sade Truiett, board member at House of David, said. "We feel so honored to serve the downtown Milford community and serving them on a good, hot, fresh-cooked, collard greens, macaroni and cheese... today on such an amazing day of Thanksgiving that no one should be home alone today. No one should be without a meal today, and we are here to do that with our partners."
Ineka Bagwell, who is part of the homeless shelter at House of David, shared what the Thanksgiving meal event means to her.
"Honestly, it's just amazing because I'm all about giving, and it means the world to me to know that the people who have reached out to me, or the organization that's helping me, is [doing] this as a lifestyle type thing. So it's not just for the moment or for any sort of reputational value, but they truly do this from the heart," Bagwell said.
In addition, Milford Advocacy for the Homeless delivered warm Thanksgiving meals to more than 150 people.