DALLAS (1080 KRLD)- The nonprofit, OurCalling, hosted 500 homeless people for an early Thanksgiving celebration Wednesday at its campus in Dallas. The faith-based organization provides meals and connects homeless people to programs to help them find jobs, medical and mental health services, and permanent housing.
OurCalling says 200 volunteers served dinner Wednesday afternoon.
"People can eat and eat and eat just like we do at home," says Pastor Wayne Walker. "There's no 'one plate and go.' Sit down, spend an hour or two laughing and telling stories. Throw some dominoes and maybe spend some time getting to know somebody."
OurCalling showed movies and set up arts and crafts.
"We treat our homeless neighbors just like our housed neighbors," Walker says.
People sat together at large tables and received hand-written cards to welcome them.
"It's very nice. For people to come out and take time out of their day to sit with us and give us a Thanksgiving meal we couldn't have without them, it's very nice, very lovely," one woman said.
"I have a degree, I'm still homeless," another said. "Just because you're homeless at some point in your life doesn't mean you've always been homeless. They're just embracing people for who they are at the time."
Walker says the meal at OurCalling can show people they are not forgotten and ultimately build a stronger community. After this election, he says everyone can use Thanksgiving to find common ground.
"In 1863, when Abraham Lincoln wrote the proclamation to start Thanksgiving, we were in the middle of the Civil War," Walker says. "It was to bring a divided country, people who were so divided and torn apart, back together as families."
OurCalling is now preparing for winter and seeking donations of blankets, coats and sweatpants. More information is available here.
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