For 46th year, Community Thanksgiving Program sets holiday table for those in need – Diocese of Scranton
SCRANTON — As certain as falling leaves, pumpkin spice or any other rite of fall, Friends of the Poor of Scranton announces that the 46th annual Thanksgiving Community Program is on schedule to serve those in need during the upcoming holidays.
According to Meghan Loftus, Friends of the Poor CEO.
Thanksgiving dinner will be served take-out on Tuesday, November 22, outside the Scranton Cultural Center, 420 North Washington Ave., Scranton, from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
“Anyone who needs a cooked Thanksgiving meal can drive by or walk in for a meal,” Loftus said. “We will have the 400 and 500 blocks of North Washington Avenue and Vine Street closed for the event.”
Noting that 3,500 holiday meals will continue to be distributed over their duration, Loftus asked anyone planning to attend to arrive no earlier than 2 p.m.
“We will also be providing meals to adults and seniors who live in low-income buildings through our ongoing partnership with the Lackawanna County Agency on Aging and the Junior League of Scranton,” she added. .
The Family-to-Family Thanksgiving Food Basket Program, under the leadership of the Robeson family, takes over the Scranton Cultural Center the following morning, Wednesday, November 23. Starting at 9 a.m. outside the center, families will receive all groceries. necessary to prepare a traditional Thanksgiving meal in the comfort of their own home.
“We’ll be here until 5 p.m. or while supplies last,” Linda Robeson said. “We’re thrilled to be back at the Scranton Cultural Center, as we were for so many years before, even if we can’t arrange distribution inside yet.”
According to Robeson, there will be plenty of volunteers to help load meals into the chauffeured vehicles or provide Thanksgiving baskets to those crossing.
No pre-registration is required for the event. Those picking up are asked to simply provide their postal code and the number of family members in their household.
“Based on the number of support requests we see during our daily programming, we plan to serve more individuals and families than ever before at each Thanksgiving event,” Loftus said. “We are doing our best to prepare for this increase. However, supply chain issues and inflation are affecting us just as strongly as the rest of the country.
Loftus said the total Thanksgiving food bill for this year’s programs exceeds $200,000.
“We humbly ask for your continued support as we work to continue this long-standing, valued, and desperately needed Scranton tradition,” she said. “Any amount helps as we come together as a community to fill the void.”
