NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - The Newport News community came together on Saturday for a day of giving.
City leaders, elected officials and volunteers participated in the Feeding 5,000 Thanksgiving Harvest and Community Celebration. The event was hosted by Andrew Shannon in partnership with New Beech Grove Baptist Church.
The annual event welcomes all people from across Hampton Roads to stop by for a free pre-Thanksgiving meal. However, this year's setup was different.
Normally there is a buffet line where people are served turkey, mashed potatoes, green beans and other Thanksgiving staples, but because of COVID-19 the meals were pre-packaged and individually wrapped.
People were required to wear masks and social distance while waiting in line for the food. Volunteers who served the meal were asked to wear gloves and keep their distance.
The goal was to feed 5,000 people, but Shannon said as long as they fed one person they did God's will. "My favorite part about today is bringing people together [and] seeing smiles. [I love] seeing the individuals and the families [have a warm meal]. Just making a difference."
