Thanksgiving will be a little different this year, but there are two places keeping the tradition alive this holiday season in downtown Phoenix.
The Salvation Army is having their annual Thanksgiving meal this year at the Phoenix Convention Center, and all are welcome. The doors will open starting at 10 a.m. and will close at 12:30 p.m. To keep residents safe, the Salvation Army is not letting a dine-in or sit-down option. Instead, there will be “Fast Track” to-go meals along with a contactless drive-thru.
The Phoenix Convention Center, located at 100 N. 3rd St., will host the event at the southeast corner of Washington Street and 3rd Street. There will be two counters at the Convention Center’s South Building where people can get in line for a meal. The drive-thru option will be located at the South Building loading dock, on the east side of the building off of Fifth Street.
“At Thanksgiving, everyone deserves a full belly and a warm heart,” according to The Phoenix Salvation Army’s website.
In addition, Trinity Cathedral will be hosting their annual Thanksgiving breakfast for the homeless on Thursday morning. Dave Howell, the ministry leader for the Thanksgiving breakfast, said that this has been a running theme for over 20 years.
The breakfast will be served differently this year in to-go boxes to accommodate safety precautions, and a wide variety of food will be in each. The church plans to hand out between 60-80 breakfasts as has been in usual years. It has enough to feed over 100 in need.
The hand-out will start at 7:30 a.m. and finish around 8:30 a.m.
“If anyone shows up earlier or a bit later of course we will give them what we have no matter the time,” Howell said.
There will be over 20 volunteers and University of Arizona medical students who will attend to give out health screenings as well as food.
According to Howell, the women from the church have been knitting scarfs, hats, mittens and other items to hand out during the event. Trinity Cathedral will also hold a sock drive for the day after asking for donations of new athletic black and white socks. Residents are still able to donate socks if they come at an earlier time, but Howell asked that you could save them for their Christmas drive next month.
Contact the reporter at bnsteel1@asu.edu
