LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Give Back Charity in Las Vegas and Gobble Gobble Give hosted their 14th annual event for the community Thanksgiving Day.
“Thank you for everyone doing this for the people," said Marcel Ortega who attended the event with his mom.
About 300 volunteers spent their Thanksgiving Day at the Llama Lot in Downtown Las Vegas feeding nearly 3,000 people, many of whom are homeless.
Not only did they pass out the classic Thanksgiving dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes, yams, cranberry sauce and more, but there were several food trucks there as well. The food trucks passed out different options, such as Hibachi, all for free.
“We provide a place to sit down and eat and be normal and decompress and sit down and be treated human for the first time or in a long time," said Give Back Charity President Adan Van Dam.
This event is much more than just about giving away free meals, volunteers handed out free bus cards, gave free hair cuts, gave away free clothing and had live music.
“A lot of times people don’t have a moment to freshen up, to get changed, put on some new clothes, doing little tiny things like this can make a huge difference in someone’s life," said Tiare Dadd who volunteered her time to cut hair.
Along with the free services, a sense of family was also built.
“That meant everything to me," said Darryl Carter who lives in his RV. "I spent most of my time, well I’m one of the last people to leave here today, and I spent most of my time making friends."
The Give Back Charity says they host other events throughout the year and plan to do more in 2024. If you'd like to volunteer for an upcoming event or donate to the cause, click here.
