Meals Of Thanks Area Churches, Organizations Will Offer Thanksgiving Dinners To Residents In Need

As most of us sit down to Thanksgiving dinner this year, we will offer fervent prayers of thanks that our power is on and we were able to cook the turkey.

For some people in our community, however, having no Thanksgiving turkey or electricity is a fact of life.

Area churches and other organizations are once again preparing for a busy holiday season of providing a helping hand to those who need it.

The Spokane Food Bank needs more than 3,000 frozen turkeys to complete its Thanksgiving baskets, says spokeswoman Ann Price. About a third of the 135,000 pounds of food recently collected by the Boy Scouts will help fill the baskets, and the rest will be set aside for the winter months.

Even though the food drive was a success, more canned food is needed.

“We always need canned goods,” especially Thanksgiving-related items like cranberry sauce and canned pumpkin pie filling, says Price.

Call 534-6678 to donate frozen turkeys, or drop them off between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays at 1234 E. Front. They’re needed by Thursday so the food bank will know if it has enough, says Price.

If you want to receive a food basket, call the above telephone number before Nov. 24 for the outlet location serving your area.

The following organizations are hosting Thanksgiving dinners or providing food baskets:

Spokane

Goodwill Industries, 130 E. Third, will serve a Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Nov. 23. Reservations are required. Call 838-4246.

The Salvation Army will give out food baskets between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Nov. 24-26 at 1126 N. Monroe.

Picture identification for all family members and address verification are required. Medical coupons will be accepted as identification for children. Phone: 325-6810.

Full Gospel Mission, 1912 E. First, will give away turkeys from 1 to 6 p.m. Nov. 24-25. The mission will also host a Thanksgiving Day dinner at noon following a 10 a.m. worship service. Phone: 534-2168.

Union Gospel Mission, 1224 E. Trent, will serve Thanksgiving dinner at 7 p.m. Nov. 26. A musical program at 6 will precede the dinner. A brunch will be served from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thanksgiving day. Phone: 535-8510.

St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church will serve dinner from noon to 3 p.m. Thanksgiving Day at 5021 N. Nelson. Transportation is available from specific locations. Phone: 487-1325.

Central United Methodist Church, 518 W. Third, will serve dinner from 1 to 3 p.m. Thanksgiving Day. Phone: 838-1431.

City Gate, 114 S. Madison, will serve a Thanksgiving Day dinner from 1 to 5 p.m. Phone: 455-9670.

St. Ann’s Roman Catholic Church, 2120 E. First, will serve dinner in the parish hall at 1 p.m. Nov. 30. Phone: 535-3031.

Zion Lutheran Church, 8304 E. Buckeye, will provide Thanksgiving baskets to Valley residents. Call the church at 926-5407 by Friday.

North Idaho

St. George’s Catholic Church, 2010 N. Williams, Post Falls, will serve dinner from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day. Phone: (208) 773-4715.

American Legion Post 143, 640 N. Highway 41, Post Falls, will hold its Thanksgiving dinner from 3 to 7 p.m. next Saturday. Phone: (208) 773-9054.

Three Mile Cafe, three miles north of Bonners Ferry near the intersection of Highways 2 and 95, will serve dinner from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day.