Hosanna Home and His Place seek community support to provide 3,500 meals and sandwiches this Thanksgiving
BY MICHELLE KEY
PUBLISHER
LAFAYETTE — Forty years ago, a simple act of kindness helped start a Thanksgiving tradition that has grown from feeding one family of four to providing thousands of meals to people in need.
This Thanksgiving, Harvest Evangelism, through its ministries Hosanna Home and His Place, hopes to provide 2,500 traditional Thanksgiving meals and 1,000 sandwiches to people throughout the community.
The outreach served approximately 3,000 people last year, and organizers expect the need to be even greater this year.
Christine Wahdan, office manager at Hosanna Home, said the annual Thanksgiving effort has grown largely through word of mouth as more people learn about the ministry and more volunteers become involved.
“The hunger has grown but so has the Harvest,” Wahdan said.
The tradition began with Harvest Evangelism founder Pastor Rick Hagans, who knew of a family struggling to make ends meet during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Hagans recalled taking several plates of food prepared by his wife, Kim, for their own family’ s Thanksgiving dinner and delivering them to the family of four.
The following year, the number of people needing assistance had grown from four to 40, making it difficult for his wife to prepare all the meals herself. His Place became involved, and the annual outreach continued to expand.
Four decades later, the undertaking involves hundreds of volunteers, thousands of meals and the generosity of churches, businesses and individuals throughout the community.
Wahdan said much of the growing need comes from elderly residents who live alone, as well as families who reach out for assistance.
As the number of people requesting meals has increased, so has the number of community members willing to help.
Organizers have set a goal of securing 300 turkeys and 200 pans of dressing this year, along with the side dishes, desserts and other food needed to prepare Thanksgiving plates.
The massive undertaking requires considerable planning and coordination.
Wahdan said organizers begin collecting names and addresses as early as possible to estimate how much food will be needed and organize deliveries.
Preparations take place at both His Place and Hosanna Home, with the food transported to Lakeview Baptist Church on Thanksgiving Day.
There, approximately 200 volunteers are expected to gather to assemble meals beneath a large red-and-white tent. Work begins around 7 a.m., with volunteers helping prepare plates and deliver meals throughout the day.
Anyone who needs a Thanksgiving meal may request one, Wahdan said. There is no deadline to sign up, although organizers encourage people to make requests as early as possible to help with planning.
Requests are accepted through Thanksgiving Day, and meals are provided as long as food remains available.
The ministry also depends on donations from the public to help meet its ambitious goal.
Residents can contribute turkeys, dressing, side dishes, desserts and other traditional Thanksgiving foods. Donations may be dropped off at Harvest Thrift or Hosanna Home.
Financial contributions are also welcome. According to Wahdan, the organization estimates that it costs approximately $5 to provide one Thanksgiving plate.
Those interested in donating, volunteering or requesting a meal may contact Wahdan at (334) 750-5267, Hagans at (334) 332-3932 or Kenny Young at (256) 868-0281.
Hagans said the annual event is about more than providing a holiday meal. He said he hopes it reminds people who may be struggling or spending the holiday alone that they are loved and remembered.
“I hope that the people who we serve know they have a God that cares for them and neighbors that care and love for them,” Hagans said. “Also people are going to go to bed on Thanksgiving night with a full stomach and they will know that someone cares about them.”
Wahdan said the ministry is grateful for the community’ s continued generosity and the willingness of so many people to spend part of their Thanksgiving serving others.
“This is a time set aside for Thanksgiving, and we are definitely thankful,” she said.
For those who have participated over the years, the event has become as much a Thanksgiving tradition as the meal itself.
“This is a tradition that’ s gone on for 40 years,” Wahdan said. “We would love for you to come be apart of it.”
The Thanksgiving outreach will take place Thursday, Nov. 26, with volunteers gathering at Lakeview Baptist Church beginning around 7 a.m. Anyone wishing to help, donate or request a meal is encouraged to contact the organization in advance.
