Winnipeg organization serves up 750 Thanksgiving meals to those need

One Winnipeg organization served up Thanksgiving feasts to those most in need.

Dozens of volunteers came together on Friday for Siloam Mission’s tradition of serving a sit-down Thanksgiving meal to those experiencing homelessness and poverty.

During the meal, guests were seated and served a traditional Thanksgiving meal, which included turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, coleslaw, cranberry sauce, mixed veggies and pie.

Tessa Blaikie Whitecloud, CEO of Siloam Mission, said the organization has been busy preparing for this special event. She said it’s meant to show those who are struggling that they deserve a celebration.

“So many of the folks that we’re supporting here at Siloam won’t have an opportunity to sit down with family this weekend and so we want to make sure that they know that we believe they’re our family and that they are loved and they are valued,” she said.

This year, Siloam Mission served up 750 meals as part of its Thanksgiving event – an increase from last year when it prepared 680 meals.

Blaikie Whitecloud said Siloam Mission is seeing more and more people coming in for food, so they increased the number of Thanksgiving meals to ensure that no one would miss out. She added the increased need has to do with inflation.

“People are feeling it. We’re feeling it as an organization,” she said.

“We’re getting less food donations and our food costs are rising significantly and that’s what people are feeling in the community as well.”

Blaikie Whitecloud said she’s thankful to everyone who helped make the Thanksgiving meal possible, as the event is special to community members.

“I think that there’s a real deep capacity for connection at a celebration meal like this,” she said.

“To know that not only are you not forgotten, but that are somebody, and that a team of people have been going above and beyond and preparing something special for you this time of year.”

- With files from CTV’s Joseph Bernacki.