COLUMBIA, S.C. — For the 33rd year, people in Midlands, who had nowhere to go for Thanksgiving, came together at St. Peter’s Catholic Church to share food and fellowship.
The doors of St. Peters opened today to anyone who wanted a Thanksgiving meal and a bit of company.
Ron Paull is the coordinator at First Baptist church who partnered with other churches and St. Peters and says this gives volunteers the opportunity to make a difference.
"Well what we try and do is show the love of Christ,” said Paull. “And as I tell the people that are you know serving the food right now we don't want to run them through. If we wanted the run people through we could just put it in a bag and put it outside. So what we want to do is look them in the eye and I said spend about five seconds, just say hi and wish them a happy Thanksgiving."
Desharah Israel is a volunteer for the dinner and says it is important to give back.
"It just shows that in the blink of an eye everything can be taken from you,” said Israel. “So this is something that opens your eyes and it tells you not to take things for granted."
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Trina Diago came to St. Peter’s for a meal with friends and says free food on this holiday can go a long way.
"You know I think it's wonderful that they're serving the homeless, because so many people today don't have family to go to so with them feeding them,” said Diago. “It's just a wonderful thing today."
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On the way out of St. Peter's attendees were offered free toiletry products by a local business owner, Alli Clemmer from Hotshots Haircuts.
Clemmer says she is hoping to make an impact this holiday.
"Just do what you can to help you know some of our clients are able to give five dollars but that bought at least one toiletry bag if not more,” said Clemmer. “Twenty five dollars bought all the combs in the bags that we put in the bags. So the smallest amount could really do a lot for people, you don't have to do much to help."
St. Peter's will be hosting their free Christmas dinner next month.