Hundreds of children and families in the Pine Hills and surrounding area received an early Thanksgiving meal Wednesday, thanks to Greater Orlando CARES, Care for the Community, Soiree Events Center and Well of Hope Church.
Darrell Bucler, chair of the Greater Orlando CARES said, things are a little different this year and rather than give out turkeys, the decision was taken to provide 2,000 meals for free at a pre-Thanksgiving block party.
“Today we are here to nourish the community, what I term ‘whole nourishment’,” he said. “While at CARES we focus on mentoring our youth throughout the year, this pre-Thanksgiving event concentrates on nourishing the body.” Â It’s mentoring the mind and nourishing the body – whole nourishment, Bucler added.
The pre-Thanksgiving meal consisted of a traditional meal of turkey, candied yams, macaroni and cheese, green beans and sumptuous desserts, much to the delight of the children, parents and guardians who attended.
“We wanted to serve a hot and fully balanced meal, with lots of entertainment,” Bucler said.
Businessman Derrick Wallace, candidate for Orange County Commission, District 6, understands only too well the needs of the Pine Hills community, part of which lies in the district in which he is running, and was on hand to lend his support to the pre-Thanksgiving event.
With one in four children in metro Orlando going hungry and some 12,000 seniors within the city limits of Orlando unable to feed themselves adequately, Wallace welcomed the feeding event making Thanksgiving happy for Pine Hills-area children and families.
“In the richest country on earth, no one should have to go hungry and especially around the holiday season,” said Wallace, who expressed his appreciation for the CARES event and other similar Thanksgiving feasts for Orlando’s hungry children, families and homeless. “We know that good nutrition has implications on a child’s well-being –physical and mental health, academic achievement and economic productivity.”
“And that’s why I have anchored my campaign on economic development and jobs, because with good jobs people will be better able to feed and take care of their families,” he added.
