Everybody Eats in GP is once again hosting a dinner for those less fortunate this holiday season. The group will set their tent up across from Rotary House for the third year in a row on December 22nd in the hopes of feeding as many people as possible.
Founder Kirsten Ballendine says the dinner is targeted towards those living in shelters or on the street but they won’t turn anyone away.
“We do have people that come to the dinners that live in homes and we don’t discriminate against that because people still need to eat and maybe they don’t have money for food.”
Ballendine and her daughter started serving the outdoor dinners a few years ago as a way to help after she went through a personal experience. During the summertime, they can feed up to 200 people at a time but this time of year they see about 120 to 130 people.
She says it’s especially important for to her to hold this dinner around the holidays.
“I just don’t think that homeless people should be left alone at Christmas and everybody deserves to have a nice holiday dinner so they know they’re thought of.”
Along with the food, Ballendine says they are looking for donations of things like hats, scarves and hygiene products in order to make up little bags for each person who comes for dinner. Anyone looking to donate items can sign up here. Dinner will be served from 6 to 7 p.m. on Aberdeen Avenue.