ST. LOUIS — One outreach group from St. Louis's LGBTQ community gave hot meals and good company to more than 200 people on Thanksgiving.
Pride STL along with Vivent Health, MEPSI, TransParent, Black Pride St. Louis, The Shades Project, PROMO, St. John's Episcopal Church, and Tower Grove Pride to hold a dinner at St. John’s Episcopal Church from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. The groups offered dine in, pickup or delivery for anyone who wanted a meal, or was in need of one.
“Food insecurities is a big thing in our community, also we believe no one should be alone on Thanksgiving,” Pride STL Director of Diversity and Inclusion Jordan Braxton said.
Braxton and the rest of Pride STL made sure no one felt hungry or alone on Thanksgiving.
“It’s a very diverse group in here,” Shades Project Executive Director Maven Lee said. “So I think to come in and see black folks, brown folks, all kinds of different people here, I think was really nice and welcoming.”
Teaming up with other organizations like the Shades Project, the groups made over 200 meals for people and families in the community on Thanksgiving Day.
“I think some people were just surprised, honestly. I think because of COVID times with change and stuff period, I don’t think people realize there’s a place to get food now,” Lee said.
Lee with the Shades Project said this event meant even more than a homecooked meal. It’s how other volunteers like Jason Kaminski said they felt too.
“I love being able to help other people, I always have. Because I have so much in my life, it’s like you know not everyone has as much as we do and sometimes, we forget how good we have it,” Kaminski said.
Along with a turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and more, this event had another Thanksgiving specialty: love and acceptance of one another.
“People know they have a place to go when they’re unhoused, when they’ve been put out of families for coming out as gay or transgender. So we’re just here to love up on folks,” Braxton said.