AUGUSTA, GA. (WJBF) – There’s just one day left before one of the most anticipated holidays of the year. Thanksgiving is a time for thanks, and at Master’s Table Soup Kitchen volunteers say it’s also a day to give back.
Masters Table Soup Kitchen and Golden Harvest Food Bank come together 365 days a year to serve.
“We feed a meal from 11 to 12 every single day, and to see this many volunteers come to Thanksgiving– beause it is so busy for us to get ready for the meal. It’s a blessing that we do have all these volunteers today,” volunteer and staff J.J. Tramontana said.
And on days like Thanksgiving, the need for meals is even higher.
“We’re going to probably do over 300 this year for Thanksgiving, we’ve seen a big increase in the numbers,” Tramontana said.
But to make matters a bit sweeter, it’s the first Thanksgiving meal back inside the building since the pandemic.
“People come here, not just for a meal, but it’s the essence and the presence in our dining room that they love,” Master’s Table Soup Kitchen Manager Ladonna Doleman said.
While still serving the general community, volunteers in the kitchen are already preparing Thursday’s meal.
“We have teams that come in and get the turkeys prepared to go into the oven, and then we have another team that will come in and actually cut the turkeys and put them in the pan to get them ready, and then there’s people that come in to get the cornbread stuffing done…,” Doleman said.
They say their work in the kitchen truly pays off.
“Being able to be at a table and to fellowship with somebody across from you and have a great meal is something so sacred,” Doleman said.
Doors will be open Thanksgiving Day, to the public, starting at 11 a.m., so if you’re in the area and in need of a hot meal, you’re welcome to stop by.
