Driven to Assist Season of Service by Larry H Miller. ( Waverly Golden/KSL NewsRadio)
SALT LAKE CITY — From veterans to those experiencing homelessness, Utah companies are working to make Thanksgiving more accessible to all by offering free Thanksgiving meals.
The Miller Family Foundation is one of those organizations, and is providing 3,200 meals for Utahns experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. The Miller family has distributed meals in this way for 24 consecutive years.
The event took place on Monday, Nov. 21 at the Salt Lake Palace Convention Center in downtown SLC.
Additionally, the foundation is partnering with other organizations to give these Utahns health resources and some basic necessities like clothing.
Amanda Covington, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer for the Larry H. Miller company, said this is the first year the foundation is partnering with other local organizations to give back to the community.
“We leveraged a lot of those relationships we had from everyone from UTA to Huntsman Mental Health to Salt Lake County,” Covington told KSL NewsRadio, “and (we) brought in a number of providers who could create opportunities to connect with whatever needs those experiencing homelessness or suffering from food insecurity or just down and out on their luck this time of year.”
“So we had an opportunity to try out this new format this year and it was such a success.”
Monday’s event offered health services like COVID-19 and flu vaccinations from the Salt Lake County Health Department, screenings for diabetes and other wellness resources from University of Utah Health, mental health resources from Hunstman Mental Health Institute and others.
Further, feminine hygiene products, dental cleaning, complimentary UTA transit passes, bike tune-ups, clothing items, record expungement resources and record expungement resources were available for no cost.
“We had one woman who came through and said this was a blessing in her life to be able to get a new pair of shoes, a COVID shot, a flu shot, have her son work on record expungement and have a great meal,” said Covington.
The Crossroads Urban Center is offering Thanksgiving meals this week for as many as 3,500 families at Smiths ballpark parking lot on Wed. Nov. 23, at 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. No documents are required, first come first serve.
Ken Garff is offering Thanksgiving meals to up to 500 veterans from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on Nov. 21.
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