Every year, as families gather around the dinner table for an annual Thanksgiving feast, the League of Volunteers (LOV) hosts their Annual Thanksgiving Dinner to provide the Tri-City community with a free, sitdown meal.
LOV is a Tri-City community organization that aims to bring the community together and enhance the quality of life for those in need. Their 37th Annual Thanksgiving Dinner will be hosted on Nov. 27 from 12 to 2:30pm at the Newark Pavilion. In addition to offering 4,000+ sitdown meals, LOV also delivers homebound meals to senior citizens, those without transportation and anyone else in need of one.
“By providing a warm, hearty meal, we want to let our community know ‘Hey, we’ve got your back,’” LOV volunteer member Melanie Wong says. “It signals a sense of care and thoughtfulness.” One of the dozens of volunteers that make this event possible, Wong has been volunteering with LOV for more than a decade.
“The environment that LOV creates is very conducive to a friendly conversation,” says Wong. “And when people gather to share a meal together, they make friends. They’ll tell stories and build supportive relationships. I’ve observed that every time.”
In addition to helping those in need, Wong hopes this event will help encourage a sense of volunteerism in the community. She recalls the very first time she began volunteering with her 10-year-old son.
“I still remember one senior’s emotional phase quite vividly when he saw my kids showing up to bring him a warm meal,” says Wong. “It felt really good to be able to do a small part to help out the community and teach my son an important value at a young age.”
Community members interested in receiving a free meal can attend the Thanksgiving dinner or sign up for a homebound meal delivery at lov.org. To register to volunteer, donate or otherwise support LOV, email volunteer coordinator Ramona McMaster at th**********@*ov.org or visit lov.org/thanksgiving.
LOV Thanksgiving
Thursday, Nov. 27
12 – 2:30pm
Newark Pavilion
6430 Thornton Ave., Newark
