Where to find free Thanksgiving meals

Published 5:26 pm Monday, November 23, 2020

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Local groups are making sure that Beaufort County residents who don’t have Thanksgiving plans or are in need of food will have access to a free meal this week.

Captain Cooks, located in the former On the Waterfront building at 1 Harding Square in downtown Washington, is set to hold its second annual free community dinner from noon to approximately 3 p.m. on Thursday. The menu includes turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, gravy, stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, pies and more. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Captain Cooks will have three delivery drivers distributing meals starting at 1 p.m. According to Captain Cooks’ Facebook page, reservations for meal deliveries can be made by calling or texting 617-510-6767. To make a delivery reservation, applicants will need to provide their name, phone number, address, delivery instructions, the number of meals they need and any special food requests.

The N.C. Community Outreach and Wellness Center is providing 100 meals to needy families on a first-come, first-served basis on Wednesday. Meal pick-ups and deliveries will begin at 3 p.m., and reservations must be made in advance by calling Barbara Gaskins at 252-402-6445 or Marlene McCabe at 252-944-5973. All Beaufort County residents are welcome to make reservations. The Community Outreach and Wellness Center will also be providing 50 free turkeys to families by way of Publix gift cards.

Gaskins said this is the first year the Community Outreach and Wellness Center has provided Thanksgiving meals. Whether or not it becomes a tradition depends on the status of the COVID-19 pandemic as well as several other factors.

Several local businesses are partnering to hold a free turkey distribution event at 3 p.m. on Wednesday in the parking lot outside of the Coca-Cola building at 909 W. Fifth St. in Washington. Volunteers will be distributing 100 free turkeys, as well as two-liter bottles of Coke. Turkeys will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Coca-Cola, Wilson’s Cleaning Mobile Service, Rutledge Mini Storage, Engraver’s World and Apparel, Warehouse Tire and Battery Sales, HOPE and Boston’s Bail Bonds partnered to organize the drive.

Some other churches and organizations that usually provide Thanksgiving meals are unable to this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among them is Belhaven Missionary Baptist Church, which typically distributes hundreds of meals each Thanksgiving.

Did we miss your event? Please send the details of your Thanksgiving event to brandon.tester@thewashingtondailynews.com.