Thanksgiving Dinners to Be Offered Free
Whether lonely, needy or homeless, everyone will have a place to go this Thanksgiving.
This year, Orange County charities and businesses are making an all-out effort to do their best to make sure everyone gets fed and no one spends the holiday alone.
Among the activities planned are a meal for the needy at the Westminster Mall food court and a dinner and live entertainment for about 5,000 people at La Casa Garcia in Anaheim.
The following is a list of where to get Thanksgiving dinner and the types of donations the organizations are seeking.
LA CASA GARCIA
531 W. Chapman Ave.
Anaheim, Calif. 92802
(714) 740-1108
Sponsoring: Thanksgiving dinner for about 5,000 people from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Monetary donations: Send to address above, make checks payable to La Casa Garcia.
Food donations: Turkeys. Deliver to the above address.
MARY McANENA
391 S. Grand St.
Orange, Calif. 92666
(714) 538-0513
Sponsoring: Thanksgiving dinner for about 200 people at 2 p.m. in W.O. Hart Park.
Monetary donations: Make checks out to Mary McAnena and send to the address above.
Food donations: Local restaurant has donated the Thanksgiving food. McAnena said that she needs toothbrushes, small towels, bars of soap, socks and razors for special care packages.
SHELTER FOR THE HOMELESS
(Address not available; only phone calls accepted.)
(714) 897-3221
Sponsoring: Meal for about 500 people starting at noon in the food court at Westminster Mall.
Monetary donations: Send to 8291 Westminster Blvd., Suite 215, Westminster, Calif. 92683, in care of the Shelter for the Homeless.
Food donations: Cooked turkeys and hams, stuffing, punch and soda. Deliver starting at 10 a.m. to the Westminster Mall.
Volunteers: May be needed for cleanup.
SOMEONE CARES SOUP KITCHEN
661 Hamilton St.
Costa Mesa, Calif. 92627
(714) 631-8170
Sponsoring: About 500 people are expected at a dinner at South Coast Christian Church, 792 Victoria St., Costa Mesa.
Monetary donations: Make checks payable to Someone Cares and send to 661 Hamilton St.
Volunteers: A few are needed.
SOUTHWEST COMMUNITY CENTER
1601 W. 2nd St.
Santa Ana, Calif. 92703
(714) 547-4073
Sponsoring: Meal for about 400 to 500 families at noon at the address above.
Monetary donations: Send to address above, payable to the Southwest Community Center.
Food donations: Turkeys, vegetables, non-perishables. Deliver to the address above.
Volunteers: Needed to help serve the meal.
ST. VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY
426 W. Almond Ave.
Orange, Calif. 92666
(714) 771-1343
Sponsoring: The society has a network of 200 agencies throughout Orange County taking food donations for food drives and Thanksgiving meals.
Monetary donations: Send checks to the address above, in care of the Food Distribution Center.
Food donations: Call the society at the above number for the nearest distribution site. This year frozen foods, fresh bread, canned meat, vegetables and fruit are needed.
YWCA HOTEL FOR HOMELESS WOMEN
1411 N. Broadway.
Santa Ana, Calif. 92706
(714) 542-3577
Sponsoring: Thanksgiving dinner in which YWCA volunteers will take dinner crew positions based on the amount of sponsorship dollars they receive. For example, $100 buys them a spot among the cleanup crew; $500 as a bus person; and $5,000 buys them the top spot as maitre d’. Dinner starts at noon at the address above.
Monetary donations: Make checks payable to the YWCA Hotel for Women and mail to the address above in care of Debra Jay, Fund Development.
Food donations: Contact Jeanne Dorsey of the YWCA at the above number.
