RICHMOND, Va. -- Thousands packed the Richmond Convention Center Thursday to take advantage of food and services being offered for Thanksgiving. Participants were given clothes and socks, a warm meal, and dessert for the holiday.
It's all part of efforts the annual Giving Heart Community Thanksgiving Feast; a free event made possible by an army of volunteers.
“One big happy family is coming together," explained Sandra Antoine with the Giving Heart. "The village is coming together to celebrate this special day of giving thanks, but also being thankful that we can serve others.”
For one man in attendance, David Hewlett, the event is needed during a time when so many are struggling.
"Inflation is up and people have worked for years and social security don't even give you enough money. So a lot of times this is a burden. Necessity of need for people in their households and stuff," Hewlett said.
And he isn't alone in struggling. A new report by the Ludwig Institute found that low and middle class families in Richmond have no income left after paying for their basic costs. The economic analysis compares earnings for workers and those seeking employment to city-specific cost of living data for housing, food and essentials. Overall, Richmonders in the working class, it showed, aren't faring well.
Since 2005, the report showed typical incomes have only increased by 2.5% while necessities increased by 60%.
“Especially at the start of the pandemic, as I've mentioned, there was a need, and still today, there are people that are saying, 'Can I get a meal?'" Antoine said. "I think it's about what we're charged to do, as human beings as people, to be of service to each other.”
Other nonprofit partners of the Giving Heart also took meals out into the community for people who couldn't attend in person. Organizers said they expected to serve more than 4,000 people this year.
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