Door by door, Alvin Thompson and his children gave out dozens of Thanksgiving meals.
“We want to help others receive. The Salvation Army is all about doing for others,” Alvin Thompson, a member of the Salvation Army Greater Hartford advisory board, said. "We get a lot out of seeing the people who open the doors and are so happy to see you."
Thompson has volunteered to hand out turkey dinners to seniors with his three kids since they were toddlers.
“When they became young adults, I said, well I’m not going to force them to go, so I just waited and the night before they said, 'What time are we leaving?” Thompson said.
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The family has since added new members, including his daughter Julia’s husband Andrew, who first volunteered five years ago.
“I just think that very first time, seeing people who have been shut in, and the way their face lights up, we may be the only people they see all day, just seeing how thankful they were to see people come out was really special for me,” Andrew Torrence said.
This year, the couple introduced their 4-month-old baby Marcus to their annual family tradition of giving.
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“It’s fun to have him included,” Julia Torrence said. “It’s a very special time every year and we very much enjoy it.”
The family said it brings them joy to bring warm dishes to seniors who are homebound for the holiday.
“My family is kind of isolating in Vermont, they have COVID, so I’m home alone today,” Bob Larson, of Hartford, said.
Larson was one of 950 people who received a meal at their door.
“It just brightened my day. This is a Thanksgiving feast that came in a bag. Very grateful for The Salvation Army and what was brought to me,” Larson said.
The Salvation Army will deliver another 950 meals on Christmas Day.
