SCRANTON, Pa. — With so many people in our area out of work and in need, charities have been working overtime during this pandemic. Now, the pandemic itself is providing a whole new set of challenges as Thanksgiving approaches.
Every year during the week of Thanksgiving, crowds packed into the Scranton Cultural Center for the Friends of the Poor dinner for the community and the Family to Family Thanksgiving food basket giveaway.
This year, the Cultural Center's ballroom will stay empty, but the charities say the two programs will continue.
"In spite of everything 2020 has thrown at us, we will rise up and make sure no one goes hungry, physically or spiritually, on a holiday that celebrates the many blessings in our lives," said Meghan Loftus from Friends of the Poor.
Friends of the Poor and Family to Family laid out their plan at a news conference. They plan to feed even more people this November while following new rules.
The Friends of the Poor Thanksgiving dinner typically feeds thousands of people inside the Scranton Cultural Center. This year it will all happen outside on North Washington Avenue with a drive-thru event.
"At the same time, we'll partner with Meals on Wheels of Northeastern Pennsylvania and our friends at Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging to deliver hundreds of meals to those seniors and adults from high-rises, community centers, and the like that would typically be bused into our dinner," Loftus said.
Family to Family will distribute Thanksgiving meals outside at Scranton High School, the same place where the charity has been feeding folks since the start of the pandemic. The two charities will continue these COVID-19 food giveaways in addition to the Thanksgiving events.
"When the world shut down, Scranton stepped up. Donations poured in; volunteers came out in the most socially distanced, safe way possible. And people gave in whatever means they could," said Ryan Robeson of Family to Family.
Friends of the Poor and Family to Family are asking for donations to help pull it all off.
Click here to help Family to Family, or you can text "thanks" to 570-525-5956.