Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage
Anchorage’s Bean’s Cafe is expecting a crowd for Thanksgiving dinner. The cafe serves hot meals every day all year for those in need, as well as providing a day shelter as a safe alternative to the streets. Special meals are served on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Executive Director Jim Crockett says it takes about 120 volunteers to staff the Thanksgiving dinner.
He says community generosity has helped stock the shelves for the holiday dinner, although some more vegetables and ham would be welcome.
Crockett says Cafe operators are seeing more families with children than in the past, although they refer families to agencies better suited to serve their needs. He says food donations are always welcome at Bean’s, since they serve all year. The Cafe is trying out some new ways to stretch resources.
Crockett says Bean’s Cafe has all the volunteers it needs for Thanksgiving.
Over at the Food Bank of Alaska, Mary Mike Adams says that most agencies the Food Bank serves are reporting a 20-30 percent increase in numbers using the food services. Steve Keppel at the Rescue Mission of Anchorage says about 300 people are expected to come to the free Thanksgiving dinner at the Mission. Keppel says donations are always welcome, and that the Mission especially needs blankets.
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