2020 has been a brutal year for many. With COVID-19 numbers continuing to rise, organizations that typically host large gatherings to provide free Thanksgiving meals are having to pivot their plans.
We spoke with Whitney Faison, Assistant Director of Communications at Martha’s Table, to learn more about their Thanksgiving plans and how the community can get involved.
Q: What are some of the obstacles, caused by COVID-19, that you see when celebrating Thanksgiving this year?
A: Before the pandemic – Martha’s Table would host a Community Harvest Dinner at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Ward 8. The event included a Thanksgiving-style meal for our neighbors, activities for children, giveaways, and performances from local arts organizations. The Community Harvest Dinner is Martha’s Table’s largest event for D.C. residents, averaging 2,500 attendees.
Q: How have you addressed these concerns as an organization?
A: This year, the Community Harvest Dinner will occur on November 21 at Our Lady of Perpetual Help with a few modifications. Guests will be invited to grab-and-go prepared Thanksgiving-style dinners. D.C. residents can either walk-up or drive. Masks are required, and social distancing will be enforced, ensuring a safe experience.
Q: Are you accepting any donations? If yes, how can we donate/assist?
A: Monetary donations: About half of our financial gifts from individuals come during the holidays, making it an especially critical time for us to raise the resources that make our programs possible. We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of our donors during the holiday season.
In-Kind Donations: Every donation we receive helps advance our work and mission.
Donate clothing to Martha’s Outfitters: Martha’s Outfitters is an innovative, no-cost community store focused on supporting families with young children in the crucial early years of a child’s life. Martha’s Outfitters offers baby items, children’s clothing, and professional workforce attire for adult caregivers.
Donate groceries, make sandwiches, or trail mix: At Martha’s Table, we believe that everyone has a right to healthy food. We work every day to deliver on our mission, distributing millions of healthy meals each year.
Volunteer: Our volunteers are essential to our expanded food access programs, distributing bags of groceries to 8,000+ neighbors each week. Discover our current volunteer opportunities.
Other Local Groups Providing Meals For Thanksgiving
Medium Rare: Local restaurant chain Medium Rare is delivering free Thanksgiving dinners to seniors over the age of 70. If you know someone who will be alone for the holiday, you can email their name, address, and cell phone to Secretsauceme@mediumrarerestaurant.com.
