Thomasville volunteers serve over 1,800 meals at Thanksgiving community event


Over 1,800 hot meals and 350 boxes of nonperishable food distributed to families in Thomas County. More than 400 volunteers and partnerships with local churches and nonprofits made the event possible. Watch the video to see why this push is more important to neighbors in Thomas County now than ever.

BROADCAST SCRIPT

Over 1,800 meals were served to neighbors in need this Thanksgiving.

I’m at Thomasville High School, where volunteers are making a difference one plate at a time.

Inside the cafeteria and kitchen, Volunteers are hard at work preparing over 1,800 hot meals and organizing 350 boxes of nonperishable food.

For 12 years, Project Backyard has been at the heart of this effort, serving over 15,000 meals and providing countless resources to families across Thomas County.

The event is a partnership between local churches, nonprofits, and hundreds of volunteers who dedicate their time to make a difference.

Bryan Watt, executive director for Project Backyard, tells me that more than 400 volunteers come together to make this event possible over two.

“We have a lot of volunteers that this is part of their family tradition, so they keep coming back each year,” Said Watt.

On the receiving end, people like David Beckwith, who’s been attending this event for five years, say it’s a chance to connect.

“I come here to meet friends and people I haven’t seen in years,” said Beckwith.

For others, the help couldn’t come at a better time.

“We’ll have folks that have five to seven children, and we’re supplying all the meals for their family for the day,” said Watt.

Watt tells me during tough economic times, it’s a gesture that’s deeply appreciated by neighbors in Thomasville.

“You know with the economy like it is, people are feeling it in their checkbooks, their bank accounts, so something like this becomes that much more important I think, to be a blessing to others that are in need,” said Watt.

If you missed this event, Project Backyard Christmas is coming up on Saturday, December 14th.

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