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Staff Photo by Angela Lewis Mary Campbell, center, puts out a plate of food as Paul VanDonkelaar, left, and Tyler Stamey, right, also work at Harvest Outreach in Dalton, Ga. The program will be holding a communitywide Thanksgiving event next week.
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Roy Johnson
DALTON, Ga. -- Two nonprofit organizations will work hard this Thanksgiving to ensure no one goes without a traditional, home-cooked meal.
Harvest Outreach Ministries and Providence Ministries each will have Thanksgiving Day events.
"We've got so many laid-off folks that probably won't have anything to cook," said Shelia Reed, founder of Harvest Outreach. "We're just trying to be a resource for them."
The most recent figures in Dalton show the area's unemployment rate remains above 12 percent. Because of that, Ms. Reed said, she expects to see more people in need this holiday season.
Harvest Outreach will host a community dinner and concert at the North Georgia Fairgrounds on Thanksgiving Day.
It will also offer to-go plates from its downtown kitchen at 207 Morris St. for those who can't make it out to the event, and volunteers will deliver plates to some needy residents, Ms. Reed said.
She said the dinner at the North Georgia Fairgrounds is open to everyone.
"A lot of people are real careful about going to anything like this because they've got a lot of pride," she said. "I want people to feel like this is a community dinner; this is like a homecoming."
The Rev. Roy Johnson, founder of Providence Ministries, said its Thanksgiving celebration takes place at the organization's downtown location on South Hamilton Street. He promised fellowship, music and a warm welcome for all.
"Holidays can be an extremely lonely time for people who are disconnected from family, who don't have family and who are just down on their luck," he said. "We try to make it a happy time for them."
Mr. Johnson said that last year the ministry fed about 800 people at Thanksgiving, but it is prepared for even more this year.
The two organizations serve meals daily at their downtown locations. They accept food and financial donations.
Dalton Mayor David Pennington said he visited for Thanksgiving dinner at Providence Ministries one year and was amazed at how many people the organization helped feed.
Community leaders appreciate the work of both organizations this Thanksgiving, he said.
"It's what makes Dalton special," Mr. Pennington said.
PDF: Harvest Outreach Kitchen information
IF YOU GO
* What: Harvest Outreach Ministries Thanksgiving Dinner & Concert
* Where: North Georgia Fairgrounds, 500 Legion Drive
* When: 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday
* Cost: Free
Source: Shelia Reed
* What: Providence Ministries Thanksgiving Dinner
* Where: Providence Ministries, 711 South Hamilton St.
* When: Noon to 2:30 p.m. Thursday
* Cost: Free
Source: The Rev. Roy Johnson
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