As many families across Middle Tennessee enjoy a home-cooked meal with loved ones, more than 100 volunteers with the Nashville Rescue Mission are making this Thanksgiving a little brighter for some who needed a little help this year.
Around 130 volunteers got an early start Thursday morning as they hope to feed around 500 for breakfast. The mission expects to feed some 650 people for the main Thanksgiving dinner.
Throughout the morning, volunteers will be serving up about 1200 biscuits – and that’s just for the morning crowd. Inside the busy kitchen, several worked to assemble a breakfast that also included eggs, sausage and gravy.
However, kitchen manager Michael Jordan said the day is all about giving thanks, which embodies the giving spirit of Nashville.
“What we try to do at the Nashville Rescue Mission is try to put out good meals every day. For 365 meals a day, we feed people,” he said. “The best thing about Nashville is that volunteers come out.”
They're getting ready to open the doors in a few mins. Michael Jordan, kitchen manager, is thanking volunteers. @NC5 pic.twitter.com/jVtkf3Jj0J
— Matthew Torres (@NC5_MTorres) November 26, 2015
Volunteer Lorie Valentin came out early with her children and hopes they see why giving back is so important.
“I think it’s very important for our children to learn how blessed we are to have what we have and for them to be able to see that, they need to come somewhere and see some people that don’t and it’s important to give back,” she said.
NewsChannel 5 reporter Matthew Torres also caught up with Vernon Reed, who’s been coming to the mission for two months. The 57-year-old said he’s starting over in life and needed a little helping hand.
Reed said the great thing about Nashvillians is their willingness to help people.
“A lot of people would have thrown in the towel but for me, seeing this, it restores your faith in humanity because there’s no rich, there’s no poor. There’s no back, there’s no white, and it’s a genuine, caring atmosphere,” he said.
When asked what he was thankful for, Reed responded, “Hope. I’m thankful for the way the Lord has preserved me, as well, but hope mainly. Because there’s always a better tomorrow and I don’t want to lose my faith or my hope.”
The mission will also serve a meal at noon and wrap things up around 7 p.m. For more information on the Nashville Rescue Mission, visit their website.
