DENVER — Funding cuts and the government shutdown forced organizers to scale back this year’s Denver Feed-A-Family event, reducing Thanksgiving baskets.
But despite the challenges, the Epworth Foundation’s 23rd annual distribution event Saturday carried on the legacy of community leader Daddy Bruce Randolph, ensuring thousands of families still received meals for the holiday.
“This is carrying on the legacy,” said Executive Director of the Epworth Foundation, Xiomara Yanique. “[Daddy Bruce] believed that every family should have a hot meal on Thanksgiving. More importantly, he believed people should be in community, and by us coming together, we will be able to embody that community spirit and be able to enjoy."
Rose Neblett, a mother who lost her job during the government shutdown, now knows how she's putting a Thanksgiving meal on the table for her and her son.
"This is my first time having to actually come here," she said.
She described some of the challenges she's faced when trying to get food from food pantries, saying she's been turned down or put on waitlists.
This event filled her with gratitude.
"Thank God that there were people who actually care," she added.
However, this year things look different than usual for the distribution event.
“Normally, we always feed a minimum of 5,000 families. We had to cut this year to 2,500 families,” said Yanique. "With the government shutdown and the SNAP benefits, we already know food has been limited. So, that's why it really hurt us to have to cut, you know, our basket count from 5,000 to 2,500. We know that there are families that are going to show up [Saturday] that we're not going to be able to feed.”
She said the decrease in meals is mainly due to funding cuts that had to be made.
Baskets this year also won’t have all the staples that families usually get. Some of those items include macaroni and cheese, candied yams, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce.
“People are still going to get something,” she emphasized. “It may not be everything, but they're still going to get something where they will still be able to use that to be able to make their Thanksgiving meal."
Last year, Yanique says the distribution gave out 7,500 baskets, which put them in a deficit at the beginning of this year of over $300,000.
“We had to spend the beginning, first half of the year just really trying to get out of that debt,” she said.
And that’s why she is calling on the community to help.
“This event is powered by our community. If everyone in our community gives just $5 and asks three people to give $5 and asks three more people to give $5, we would be able to feed our community and beyond”.
Despite the obstacle, Yanique is determined to keep the spirit and legacy of Daddy Bruce alive this year, saying Saturday is all about community.
“It feels like a family reunion,” she exclaimed. “There are people that we don't see, we see them once a year, and it's like, 'oh my goodness, I hadn't seen you since last year', and we come together, because at the end of the day, that's what it's all about."
And that message rings true for volunteers like Carrie McDonald, who has made lending a helping hand a family tradition for a decade.
"There are seven of the 11 of us here. It started with just my parents and my sisters, and last year we sucked in the nephews. So we're three generations in now," she said.
Her father, Tom McDonald, added that it feels great to give back with his family.
Denver Mayor Mike Johnston is also stopping by the legacy event.
"It's a great volunteer experience, but it's also a great chance for folks who are struggling to pay their bills to know they can still have a great Thanksgiving," he emphasized. "If you are a Denverite in need, we are going to show up for you."
Families had to be nominated for this year’s 2,500 Thanksgiving baskets. All baskets have already been claimed. Families have until 12:00 p.m. to collect their items, and at 1:00 p.m., those waiting in line can get the baskets on a first-come, first-served basis.
