- Open Door Mission is giving out Thanksgiving meals.
- The initiative ensures those in need can still enjoy holiday food
- Volunteers and donors play a crucial role in making these meals possible.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
Open door mission provided a three course thanksgiving meal residents.
Ken Vahlenkamp is the Mission's hospitality manager, he says feels blessed to prepare this feast for residents… because he knows what it's like to be in their shoes.
"Really showing our guests dignity and you know, love and compassion just and serving them. I myself came from the, from the emergency side needing a place to stay four years ago. And so I kind of have a special place in my heart because I was in that situation," said Vahlenkamp.
Julie Hudson has been volunteering at the mission for 12 years and says it helps keep the holidays alive for those who don't have family to celebrate with.
"I was sitting down and enjoying a meal with one of the residents and he was talking about his mom telling me about the last holiday he'd spent with his mom," said Hudson.
Vahlenkamp says they worked all week to prepare to meals, and are already making plans for their Christmas dinner.
"Our amazing donors across the Omaha and other places really do a really good job of making sure that we have what we need when we need it," said Vahlenkamp.
Volunteers told KMTV they don't mind giving up a little time with their families, once they see smiles on residents faces it's all worth it.
