As many around the country celebrate Thanksgiving or observe the Day of Mourning for Indigenous people, some food pantries and soup kitchens are remembering veterans this holiday including a nonprofit in Holyoke.
Gina Nelson hosts a luncheon for veterans every Thursday at Saint Paul's Episcopal Church in Holyoke through her nonprofit, Community Roots Neighborhood Services. Nelson said they receive funding through grants and community donations.
She said they serve up to 70 veterans a week and expects to have many more on Thanksgiving day.
Nelson said when she started hosting the lunches she realized there was a personal connection for her as well.
"I realized I have recreated my mom's table,” Nelson said. “We have this communal meal and we have music that's in the background. We encourage folks to talk. And, it took a little bit of time because they had to trust me. And I thought, if I'm going to ask them to tell their stories, I need to tell my own."
Nelson said most of the veterans know her story: that her dad was a B-52 pilot during the Vietnam War. His last duty station was at Westover Air Force Base in Chicopee. So, she said, she understands them.
A few other places serving free meals on Thursday this year are Manna Soup Kitchen in Northampton. Manna is hosting a free meal at Edwards Church. Volunteers are also delivering free meals to people in Northampton, Westhampton, Southampton, Easthampton, Whately, Hatfield, Hadley, and Williamsburg, Mass.
There will also be free Thanksgiving meals open to the public and veterans at Veterans of Foreign Wars building in Florence from 12pm-4pm.
Also, for people who are signed up at the Franklin Area Survival Center, they will be giving out Thanksgiving meal bags filled with ingredients for stuffing, fruit, various vegetables and a turkey at the food pantry until today.
Springfield Partners for Community Action and Veterans Inc. handed out free Thanksgiving turkeys and ingredients for veterans in the parking lot of Springfield Partners on Monday.
Springfield Partners also hosted a Thanksgiving luncheon on Tuesday with a free holiday meal for veterans.
