Thanksgiving Outreach 2010
November 28, 2010
…Serving Thanksgiving to thousands
November 25, 2011

F5K program feeds 100,000

On Thanksgiving Day, a Lee County church reaches out to five Southwest Florida counties. They may call it ‘Feed the 5,000,’ but their effort means 100,000 people will get a holiday dinner this year.

The line was hundreds deep, filled with people waiting for Thanksgiving meals. But the food wasn’t for them, it was for others. Eleven-year-old Noah Mulholland was among the volunteers at the Lamb of God Church Vineyards.

“I just want to help out and make people really happy,” he says.

Instead of the Thanksgiving traditions many people enjoy like playing football or watching TV, the people at the church spent the day cooking, packing and delivering meals.

“We’ll enjoy ourselves later today,” says volunteer Marshall Howard.

The meals are delivered to those who can’t afford it, are sick or unable to make something themselves. The event is called ‘Feed the 5,000′ because that was the original goal, but this year the group will pack 9,000 meals. Each meal has multiple servings, so in total close to 100,000 people will be fed by the program.

“They get turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans, stuffing, gravy, cranberries, dessert and bread,” says organizer Tom Mullins.

The homemade food is cooked fresh for each family. Noah’s favorite?

“Mashed potatoes and gravy,” he says.

To get it all done every hand has to pitch in, but the real treat is a day worth giving thanks for.

ESTERO, Nov 24, 2011 – By Joelle Parks, NBC2 Reporter