Free Thanksgiving Meal on Thanksgiving Day in Evansville

Thanksgiving is a day where many of us gather around a delicious meal with our friends and family, but for some that is a luxury that can't be afforded. That's why Thomasson Outreach is wanting to make sure everyone is fed on Thanksgiving, with a free meal.

Thomasson Outreach is having a free meal this Thanksgiving from 11-1. It will be at Vann-Pollack Park in the shelter house.  They will be giving away free meals to anyone who could use one on Thanksgiving.

They also could use donations, and volunteers for this event, if you'd like to help.

Here's the donations they really need

• 40 loaves of bread
• 100 pounds of lunch meat
• 100 servings of fruits and veggies
• 100 servings of cold deli salads (potato, macaroni, slaw, etc..)
• 2 packages of Clorox/Lysol-type wipes
• Canned sodas
• ice
• Large trash bags

They are also looking to borrow pop-up canopies, tables, chairs, and coolers.

If you have something you would like to donate, or would like to volunteer your time to help with this meal, you can contact Thomasson Outreach through their Facebook page, here. Or you can email them thomassonoutreaches@gmail.com

So why is Thomasson Outreach feeding the community on Thanksgiving?  I reached out to them, and the answer is really very cool. It's amazing what a couple people with a big idea can accomplish!

In the fall of 2009, my husband, Viq, and I were "arguing" about which of our family's houses to go to for Thanksgiving that year. For some reason, an idea came through my brain that I blurted out to him: Let's feed our neighborhood this year. At that time, we were living near Fulton and Michigan, near Fire Station No. 3 and Fulton Park. We pitched the idea to some friends and started planning. We collected food and supply donations from everyone we could. In just a few weeks, we organized an effort and fed around 200 people on a cold, snowy day from Fulton Park. Since that time, we have fed over 1,000 people at various locations including Garvin Park, Jacobsville Park, and two restaurants that were kind enough to let us use their facilities for the day. We have learned so much each year, and our Outreach has evolved somewhat from that first year. Instead of doing a full Thanksgiving spread for several hundred people, we have switched to easier-to-prepare and more economical food items.

In planning our 2017 Thanksgiving Outreach, we had to go back to our original "Why?" What was our "mission?" To feed the disadvantaged and underprivileged members of our neighborhood. Since that first year, our neighborhood has changed, and we are now residents of the southeast side of town. It was a no-brainer to have our Outreach at Vann-Pollack Park (especially after talking to a community member who said this area has a tremendous need).

So, with the help of our family, friends, and community, we will be serving a Thanksgiving meal on Thursday, November 23rd from 11 am to 1 pm for anyone who needs it. Please feel free to join us for sandwiches, chips, salads, fruit, desserts, and drinks.

Thank you to Thomasson Outreach for your work in the community! I hope this year is your biggest most successful year yet!