by David Chapman
Staff Writer
Three area organizations will be combining their services and continuing a 15-year tradition by supplying needy individuals a home-delivered and quality Thanksgiving meal during the holiday – but to them, it’s effort with a purpose.
Members and volunteers of St. Vincent’s Healthcare, the Jacksonville Transportation Group and Urban Jacksonville began as early as Monday in preparation for the holiday Meals on Wheels effort, with each organization contributing in its own way.
“It’s the epitome of a win-win situation,” said George Lee, Urban Jacksonville Meals on Wheels coordinator. “The 400 recipients are usually low income families ... former schoolteachers, veterans. People who don’t have much or can’t prepare a meal.”
Urban Jacksonville makes the calls to normal Meals on Wheels clients seeking response about the Thanksgiving holiday. While the service normally issues meals to 900 people, oftentimes that number is reduced during the holidays due to clients having families or friends who share time and a meal with them.
But, not everyone has the same holiday options, said Lee, and that’s when the holiday list starts to fill.
“When the holidays come, we try to partner with different area organizations,” said Lee. “It gives us the opportunity to allow our own people (staff and volunteers) a day off ... they don’t get much time off.”
St. Vincent’s HealthCare is again a partner for the holiday, with Executive Chef Michael Curley, staff and volunteers preparing the meals.
For Curley, it’s his second year participating, but the holiday effort is something the longtime hotel and club-turned hospital executive chef said he has already enjoyed.
“I love it,” said Curley. “Giving back to the community ... to those in need, it’s just a great feeling.”
Curley and staff began preparation Tuesday by packaging nonperishable items into the meals – utensils, condiments, dinner rolls, pumpkin pie – and continued Wednesday with hot food preparation.
The turkeys, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans and cranberry sauce – a “traditional meal”, with total cost for all the meals at just over $2,500 – all are prepared Wednesday then stored.
Thanksgiving morning is show time for the St. Vincent’s staff and volunteers, as the day starts before sunrise and includes packaging all the hot items in preparation of the taxi delivery drivers by around 9 a.m.
Once assembled, as close to departure as possible, the meals are then put in industrial size warmers and wheeled curbside for pickup.
“It can get pretty hectic,” said Curley.
Jacksonville Transportation Group taxis then arrive with designated routes and begin delivery.
“We do it because it’s a day to give back to the community,” said Reginald Henry, communications director of Jacksonville Transportation Group. “The drivers love to do it.”
Around 50 drivers will participate in Thursday’s deliveries, with each driver usually taking six–10 meals each.
The feedback Henry receives from the drivers over his five years participating has been overwhelmingly positive, he said.
“Oh yeah, several of the drivers have told me about the smiles they get when they get there,” said Henry. “Some cry (when they receive the meals).”
Others have heard of the enormous response the drivers receive.
“The people get so excited,” said Mary Alice Phelan, community relations director at St. Vincent’s. “For a lot of these people, we are one of the organizations filling the gap.”
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