SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – The pace and hustle and bustle of the Glide Memorial kitchens, deep in the heart of San Francisco’s Tenderloin District, accelerated Thursday morning as hundreds of hot meals were prepared for their annual Thanksgiving celebration for those in need.
In recent years, the lines have grown longer, only slowed down by the restrictions put in place during the 2020 COVID outbreak.
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This year, Glide put up huge tents to protect everyone from COVID and to be socially distant.
“Right now there are more people living on the streets, there are more people who are hungry, and Glide is providing services every day,” said Glide official George Gundry. “The volunteers are big this year. We made it through much of the pandemic without a group of volunteers. This year they will crave turkey, ham … They will serve meals in the tents. “
The Salvation Army also made changes to their annual Thanksgiving meal present this year. In the second year, the organization’s food delivery program will use socially distant precautions. Hundreds of volunteers will help deliver meals to homes on Thanksgiving morning.
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“We are hypersensitive to the way COVID has isolated us all. So when this senior, this house-cuffed person, is welcomed by someone today, someone becomes a family, a friend, “said Salvation Army major David Pierce as he stood in the middle of delivery boxes piled to the ceiling. “To convey a feeling of love, gratitude, gratitude, appreciation and give them a feeling of hope today.”
For volunteer Kalani Isabel, it’s about giving something back – knowing only too well what it means to eat something on Thanksgiving.
“When I was young, my family was in need and the Salvation Army was always there for us,” says Isabel. “We didn’t have a lot of Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving was tough for my mother.”
That year the Salvation Army was supposed to deliver about 4,000 meals.
Mark Hopper brought his daughter with him this morning to volunteer, a reminder to be thankful and give back on Thanksgiving.
“If you’re showing that you want to be compassionate and empathetic towards people, you have to actually do it instead of just telling your kids,” said Hopper.
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