SENECA COUNTY, OH (Toledo News Now) - Being alone during the holidays can be hard on anyone, but in Seneca County, there's a group making sure that doesn't happen this Christmas.
The NOAH Foundation of Ohio began in 2008, after one of the founders was dealing with a recent divorce around Christmas. The organization makes sure everyone in the county has a place to go on Christmas.
NOAH stands for "No One Alone or Hungry." This will be the sixth year that Camden Falls Banquet Hall hosts hundreds of people for a Christmas dinner.
The first year, NOAH served about 200 people. Since then, it's grown to serve over 650 people. Organizers aren't sure how many people to expect this year, but they don't want anyone to be left out.
On Thursday, a fundraiser was held to make sure the dinner is served again this year.
"It's really neat because we've created a really nice family atmosphere for people, and we get a lot of people that show up at 11:30 and stay until 1:30," said Mitch Felton, president of the NOAH Foundation of Ohio. "I'm sure it's a little different in some larger communities, but in Tiffin, most of the restaurants are closed on Christmas day, and so you don't realize how many people really don't have anywhere to go and what a lonely time it is for a lot of people."
The free dinner will be Christmas day at Camden Falls in Tiffin from 11 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
