INDIANAPOLIS — For many, Thanksgiving is a time to break bread, share stories and create memories with those you love.
A local nonprofit has been helping families in need do just that for more than five decades.
Every year, Mike O'Banyel and his family lends a helping hand.
"I've been doing this since the late 70s, early 80s,” O’Banyel said.
He’s an elder at Tabernacle Presbyterian Church — one of many area kitchens pitching in to help the Mozel Sanders Foundation serve roughly 11,000 meals on Thursday.
O'Banyel, his wife and his son began their day at 6 a.m. and will most likely end their day at 4 in the afternoon. He calls it a labor of love.
“Some of those volunteers are folks from the church who will sit down with the neighborhood friends and pray with them, talk to them, while they sit and have a cup of coffee or a slice of pie to wait for their meals,” he said.
Volunteer Bobby White says the need always exists in our community.
“It’s really hard to judge from year to year, because I think the need grows tremendously. As long as we can continue to be a blessing and do what we can do to serve, I think everything will be well,” White said.
The foundation traded in turkey for chicken this year — a whopping 5,000 pounds of it.
PREVIOUS: Mozel Sanders finding silver lining despite swapping turkey for chicken this Thanksgiving
White says the best part of the day is seeing families in need enjoying a warm meal.
And when asked what his big plans after all the hard work is done, he had one word — rest.
“It totally wipes me out. I’m happy to be a blessing to somebody today. After I'm finished here today, it’s just rest for me and spending time with my family," he said.
-
Augmented-reality helmets to change firefighting in Carmel
Augmented-reality helmets to change firefighting in Carmel
A Hamilton County fire department will be one of the first in the country to use augmented-reality helmets to help firefighters see through smoke.
Second string of robberies target Hispanic businesses in northwest Indianapolis
A second string of robberies targeting Hispanic businesses on the northwest side of Indianapolis left shattered glass, emptied registers, and some businesses closed for cleanup.
Nearly half of adults say it's difficult to afford health care costs, poll shows
About half of adults in the U.S. say it is difficult to afford health care costs, according to new polling from KFF, a national policy research organization.
