PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Hundreds of Portlanders experiencing homelessness will be treated to a Christmas Day feast.
At 10 a.m. Sunday, the Union Gospel Mission served 400 meals, featuring ham with pineapple and brown sugar, AuGratin potatoes, green beans with onion, dinner rolls and butter, tropical fruit salad, and pie. UGM said those served also received a “snack sack” to munch on later in the day.
“One thing that we tried to do special for the holidays is that we invite the people to come in and sit down, and we actually have people who serve them a meal,” said Courtney Dodds, with UGM. “A lot of people who are experiencing homelessness often have to stand outside and stand in line for food and so we try to make it extra special with some decorations, have them sit down, we serve the meal, and I think people really appreciate the chance to come in and do something that feels a little bit more like a traditional holiday especially since so many of them are separated from family.”
UGM asks anyone that wants to help to make a donation on their website here.
The Christmas Day meal is one of many the UGM has prepared for the community this holiday season. Since Dec. 18, UGM said it’s been handing out meals to the homeless community as part of its Search + Rescue and will continue to do so through the next week.
The organization estimates it will prepare around 1,200 Christmas meals in all.