BOISE, Idaho — Who doesn't love a plate full of food on Thanksgiving? At Interfaith Sanctuary, they're making sure everyone has a warm place to go and a hot meal to eat for the Thanksgiving holiday.
- Interfaith Sanctuary hosted its first home-cooked Thanksgiving meal for those in need.
- Over 300 people were served a meal that included smoked turkey, stuffing, yams, cranberry crisp, and salad.
- Interfaith Sanctuary provides housing and resources to unhoused residents in the Treasure Valley.
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story.)
"It's an honor for me to do dinner for them because I can cook pretty good... and they like what I cook— so it's all a blessing," says Jeffrey Chapman.
Jeffrey Chapman is the food service trainer for Interfaith Sanctuary. He says he's always wanted to prepare a Thanksgiving meal for their guests.
Chapman says, "I had a problem in my younger days. I took advantage of the community, and this is my way of giving back. We get a lot of grumpy people in there, but you get that one smile, and that one smile will just take everything away."
Chapman along with other staff and volunteers are serving more than 300 people at Interfaith Sanctuary and Red Lion Hotel combined.
So, what's on the menu? Smoked turkey, stuffing, yams, cranberry crisp and salad.
"I am a holiday person, so I have to make Thanksgiving dinner. I absolutely love our guests. They're like family to me. We're here with them all the time, 24 hours a day so for me it's just like feeding my family," says Amber Leonard.
Amber Leonard serves medically fragile guests in Interfaith's Red Lion Family program.
She helps residents every day and is grateful for another opportunity to give back.
Leonard says, "I love my job and I'm thankful for my family and my friends."
"I'm grateful for my job, I'm grateful for where I live, and I'm grateful for Interfaith. They've done so much and they do so much for the homeless community it's amazing," Chapman adds.
All of the food used for Interfaith's Thanksgiving meal was donated.
Amber and Jeffrey want to give a huge thank you to donors and Interfaith's Executive Director Jodi Peterson Stigers for all of their help.
