Volunteers and staff members at a nonprofit in Hartford spent the day Wednesday cooking hundreds of meals for senior citizens to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.
Over 100 turkeys were cooked and 50 pounds of stuffing were prepared along with many other sides at the Community Renewal Team's Hartford location. The meals were then packaged up and will be sent off to 25 senior centers across Hartford and Tolland counties on Thursday.
“We have some seniors who are literally home by themselves for the holiday season and they have some family who may be out of town. So, to have a warm Thanksgiving meal just means so much to them,” said Euniqua Lewis, program manager for the Elderly Nutrition Program.
The organization is also preparing around 800 home delivery meals for Meals on Wheels, and in total, will be serving 1,600 seniors this Thanksgiving holiday.
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“It takes a lot to prepare these meals. The staff comes in around five in the morning to start the preparation for these meals,” Lewis said.
Assistant Food Service Manager Richard Timmons said it’s a labor of love that’s worth every minute.
“It’s exhausting, it’s tiring, but seeing the people’s faces, the people we provide food for, having the responses back that they love the food, it’s worth it,” Timmons said.
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The organization is in its 60th year, and Lewis said the need is growing year after year.
“Especially with the pandemic, and now with the food costs going up, we are seeing a great need daily of people in need of meals. As of right now we really do need the help,” Lewis said.
Click here to learn how you can donate food items to the Community Renewal Team this holiday season.
