TOLEDO, Ohio — Main Street Ventures and the Cherry Street Mission partnered up for the sixth time to serve meals on Thanksgiving.
"We’re a local company. We feel strongly about giving back to the community and I think it’s exciting to us, a lot of the guests and the people who are volunteering today," said Kevin Gudejko, CEO of Main Street Ventures restaurant group
"We want to make sure that as a community, we provide the opportunity to come together and celebrate as well," added Ann Ebbert, president of Cherry Street Mission.
The Real Seafood Company was at full capacity of 2,000 people who showed up to enjoy their Thanksgiving feast.
"We have 2,000 reservations filled to its complete total maximum capacity today, so we expect to see 2,000 people to have a great Thanksgiving meal," Ebbert said.
The restaurant offered full service, from volunteers waiting on the tables to even a full-course meal.
"They start with a dinner salad, and they proceed to the entrée - turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, steamed broccoli and there is pumpkin pie to celebrate at the end," Ebbert said.
Although this event was by reservations only, it was open to anyone who may be experiencing poverty in their life.
"So you might be experiencing financial poverty, but you also might be experiencing poverty of relationship right? Maybe you don’t have someone to eat with today so you can come down here and participate and have your own makeshift family," Ebbert said.
The Real Seafood Company and the Cherry Street mission are both adamant that they will continue to serve meals on Thanksgiving day for years to come.
To become a Cherry Street Mission volunteer, attend an orientation. The schedule is available at the Cherry Street Mission website here.