Several area nonprofits are providing hot, fresh Thanksgiving meals Thursday.
Others have provided families all the food they need to prepare turkey dinners with all the fixings on the upcoming holiday.
And as is its tradition, the Holts Summit Soup Kitchen fed turkey meals with all the trimmings to hungry members of its community this past Thursday. The week-early Thanksgiving allows volunteers to take time off to enjoy the holiday with their own families.
Samaritan Center
At least three local nonprofits provided foods for families to prepare -- the Samaritan Center, the Elks Lodge and Building Community Bridges.
The Samaritan Center had to overcome a couple of challenges this holiday season -- inflation's effect on the price of frozen turkeys and closure of the Save a Lot, a neighboring grocery story that generously let the center store cold or frozen foods in its coolers while the nonprofit awaits meal deliveries.
Because storage space is limited, the Samaritan Center has to buy turkeys in smaller batches this year, according to operations manager Ben DeFeo.
Fortunately, Schulte's Fresh Foods is giving the nonprofit a low rate for turkeys.
"We buy enough at their rate to fill up the cooler. Then we'll get another batch," DeFeo said. "The bad thing is you can't buy earlier and get even lower pricing. It's par for the course of what it is these days."
The Samaritan Center provides everything necessary for families it serves to cook and serve a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Clients must qualify for services at the center, based on federal poverty levels.
The families are given a Thanksgiving package during one of the Samaritan Center's regular food pantry days.
Families began receiving the packages earlier this month.
The center had distributed 720 packages as of Wednesday, and expected that number to climb to about 1,600 by the holiday, DeFeo said. The center distributed 1,444 turkey dinners last year.
The effort has been ongoing since the center opened about 35 years ago.
"It's obviously a popular ... thing with folks -- having the added food in general," DeFeo said.
The center is also preparing its Christmas adoptions program. Staff have signed up 272 families and about 40 seniors for the program, in which folks choose a family or senior and provide Christmas for them.
Anyone who wants to adopt a family should call 573-634-7776 and speak to Amber Scheidt, or go to Midmosamaritan.org and find the link for the adoption form.
People wishing to donate toys should bring new, unwrapped toys to the center, at 1310 E. McCarty St. The center generally asks for toys that cost about $15.
Gift wrap, tape and tags are also welcome donations. Seasonal clothing like hats, gloves and coats are welcome right now, too.
Elks Lodge No. 513
Elks volunteers distributed 75 meals to families this past Saturday, according to Eileen Scrivner, a past exulted ruler.
The year 2022 marked the ninth year of the event.
"We want to deliver the food as close to Thanksgiving as possible, but with time to thaw the turkey before Thanksgiving," Scrivner said.
Typically the meals, which go to Samaritan Center clients, include a turkey (with a roasting pan), sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, beans and other products (down to the marshmallows for the sweet potatoes, a pie and whipped topping).
Building Community Bridges
Building Community Bridges (BCB) had a Thanksgiving meal drive during the first two-thirds of November. The drive was to end today.
The nonprofit, whose mission is to uplift and aid youths in the community in respect to self-awareness, education, entrepreneurship and issues that affect their lives, will distribute fixings for meals to community members on Monday and Tuesday.
This is the fourth consecutive year BCB has offered Thanksgiving meals for families. Families will receive a turkey (or ham), stuffing mix, chicken stock, instant potatoes, gravy mix, canned cranberry sauce, canned pie filling and ready-to-bake pie crust.
Families may pick up the meals on a first-come, first-served basis 4-6 p.m. Monday and Tuesday at the BCB offices, 213 E. Ashley St.
American Legion
American Legion Post 5 will host a Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Thursday at Roscoe Enloe Post 5, 1423 Tanner Bridge Road.
The cost is $17.50, $7 for children 12 and younger. The meal will feature ham, turkey, dressing, corn, rolls, green bean casserole, slaw, stuffing, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie or cobbler.
First Baptist Church
First Baptist Church, 301 E. Capitol Ave., has been a community leader -- offering Thanksgiving dinners for more than 30 years -- according to Gary Hemphill, chairman for the church's Community Thanksgiving meal. The meal grew out of concerns about people who were alone, or those who had no place to share a meal on Thanksgiving, he said.
Every year, the church delivers meals to people whose jobs require them to work the holiday -- such as firefighters, police officers, paramedics and other first responders.
Organizers expect the church to provide about 600 meals for the community.
As always, chef Michael Ferguson will prepare the holiday meal of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce, rolls and pie. Call the church at 573-634-3603 to reserve your meals. Drinks are included.
A $10 donation is requested for each meal, but not required.
Hemphill said costs have been a concern this year.
The dine-in dinner will take place 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Thursday. Carry-out and delivery begin at 10 a.m. to ensure everybody gets a meal.
People are encouraged to dine in Thursday.
"We're not just feeding stomachs, we're feeding their souls," Hemphill said. "Sit at a table and share stories."
Musicians will provide light entertainment and music, he said.
"We want people to stay and visit, and have community, and put their feet under the table and listen to you," he said. "(This is a) hard year economically for a lot of people. We're always looking at the blessings that God gives us, instead of the challenges before us."
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army Center of Hope hosts Thanksgiving meals for shelter residents and for the community. It also delivers meals to homebound folks in the area, according to Director Brian Vogeler.
The community dinners will consist of traditional Thanksgiving fare -- turkey, ham, stuffing mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, gravy and desserts.
The center provided more than 200 Thanksgiving meals within the community in 2021. It expects similar results this year.
Everyone is welcome to enjoy Thanksgiving meals at the Center of Hope, Vogeler said.
"Anybody looking for a Thanksgiving meal -- we have single parents and others, where it's not feasible for them to fix a big meal," Vogeler said. "They still get a meal."
Community Thanksgiving dinners are noon-1 p.m. and 5-6 p.m. Thursday at the shelter, 927 Jefferson St.
"We're planning on trying to do dinners for elderly and shut-ins," Vogeler said.
Anyone who knows of an elderly person who can't get out should call the Salvation Army and let volunteers know how they might reach that person.
Call 573-635-1975, ext. 2, from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday to Friday to set up delivery with Megan Stemper.
Thursday's meal might have been leaner if not for the help of the Armstrong Teasdale law firm, which stepped in as a sponsor, Vogeler said.
The nonprofit intends to offer a community Christmas meal, too, and said any individuals or organizations who wish to chip in and sponsor the meal can do so.
And anyone who wishes to volunteer to help with the meals should call the shelter.
Vogeler pointed out the weather has been bitterly cold overnight for the past week. He reminded the public that the center is offering "Cold Cots," in which it provides a warm place to sleep for the homeless community when the temperature dips below freezing. He said he anticipates the cots will remain available for some time.
And, during the day, the center acts as a warming station, so folks may go inside and avoid the cold.
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 1206 E. McCarty St., will host a hot Thanksgiving meal and fellowship on the holiday.
The annual event is 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Dine-in, carry-out and delivery options are available, according to Mike Schnieders. Call 573-635-6143 to reserve meals.
Although the volume has been down some from a few years ago, the church again anticipates serving 850-1,000 meals, Schnieders said.
He and other volunteers were expected to cook some 45 turkeys today that Cargill donated (about 900 pounds). Once the turkeys are done, he said, they'll be de-boned and refrigerated until early Thursday morning.
Wednesday, activities really begin to ramp up. Volunteers will prepare sides and desserts, and Patricia Dohlman will make her famous dinner rolls. She generally bakes about 1,200 during the day, several of which are distributed among volunteers.
"She comes in early early in the morning and gets the dough rising," Schnieders said. "She makes all the dinner rolls. She makes cinnamon rolls for the workers. They are to die for."
Preparations on Thanksgiving are "crazy," he said. "It is busy, busy ... that 850 to 1,000 meals will go out the door in an hour and a half. Most of it is a whirlwind."
Last year, volunteers delivered more than 400 meals. About 200 people picked up carry-out meals. Organizers also provided about 150 "satellite meals" at Dulle and Hamilton towers.
Thursday marks the 14th year Immaculate Conception has offered the meals.
"It's a project that parishioners have embraced," he said, "and made it a tradition for Thanksgiving."
CORRECTION: This article was edited at 8:04 a.m. Nov. 29, 2022, to correct the law firm's name to Armstrong Teasdale.