The non-profit, OurCalling, served Thanksgiving dinner to 500 people living on the street Wednesday at its campus south of Downtown Dallas. Two hundred volunteers decorated tables and greeted people; food was donated by Norma's Cafe.
"We're all about loving your neighbor, so we're creating that festive environment we all want at the holidays," said Juliana Williams, OurCalling's director of development.
In addition to serving dinner, OurCalling showed "A Christmas Story." Williams says the event can give people without permanent shelter a place to celebrate the holiday but also introduce them to other services the non-profit provides.
"Sometimes special events are a good time to bring people in for the first time, whether that be a volunteer or someone living on the streets," Williams said. "They can come in and see what we do."
OurCalling is a daytime outreach center that can provide showers and bathrooms, laundry, counseling, classrooms, job training and a worship center.
"They're like family," one man watching the movie said Wednesday. "I call this a good place to be because they take care of us, and we just love them."
"To me, it's just like my brothers and sisters coming together at once on Thanksgiving," another said.
Volunteers said they look forward to working at Thanksgiving every year. Sheri Short, who first came last year, said she came back with more members of her church.
"It was just such a joyful experience," Short said. "To see so many volunteers here and everyone joining together, I thought this is where I want to be every Wednesday before Thanksgiving."
She said the work makes volunteers feel good, but they can also learn more from the perspective of someone experiencing homelessness.
"It's an opportunity to understand better the plight of the homeless and realize they are just like us," Short said. "I enjoy conversations with them, and we find common ground."
Williams said the non-profit will help people build a customized plan to succeed starting with basic needs like laundry and a meal, then adding more services as volunteers build trust with each person.
"OurCalling is focused on working with our unsheltered neighbors, really helping them get off the streets and helping them walk with Jesus," Williams said.
OurCalling is accepting donations online at https://www.ourcalling.org/cold/ .
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