APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – We Care Meals provided its annual Christmas meal for anyone who wanted or needed it today at the Grand Meridian in Appleton.
Many community members stepped up to either serve meals in person or deliver them to people’s homes.
We Care Meals has served people in the Fox Valley a warm Christmas meal for over three decades.
“We bought enough food for about 3,000 meals, we got over 2,000 being home delivered and the rest will be served here in the house,” says We Care Meals Program Organizer, Ed Rathsack.
Rathsack tells FOX 11 he enjoys seeing all different types of people come and eat at one table.
“I’ve seen professors from Lawrence University, I’ve seen people that were sleeping in their cars, I’ve seen people that just want to get a hot meal somewhere.”
The organization relies on donations and volunteers to make this possible on Christmas Day.
“Today’s meal was just over $7,000,” says Rathsack.
People who volunteered to be delivery drivers for the Christmas meal say they feel fulfilled and grateful to be able to spend their holiday this way.
“We’ve had two deaths in the family so we are not doing the same thing that we used to do before, so this kind of fills that spot,” says volunteer Lisa Hanneman.
The drivers volunteering made around 300 stops to different places around the Fox Cities.
“We’ll do it for a couple hours,” says Hanneman.
“The idea of just taking the time to go there and say Merry Christmas and hand them a dinner, you’ll get the tears,” says Rathsack.
People eating inside, were impressed and thankful for the spread that the organization was serving.
“Chicken and ham, you’ll get potatoes, dressing, vegetables, dinner rolls, tons and tons of deserts and breads,” says Rathsack.
Rathsack appreciates how people are able to come and connect with each other.
“It’s like a wedding, you sit down next to someone you don’t know and next thing you know they’re talking…it means a lot to them, the companionship and the chance to get out,” says Rathsack.
“I think they’re just happy, it’s just a good atmosphere to be in, so the people that are here I think are appreciative, and I guess we’re appreciative too,” says Hanneman.
We Care Meals, also puts on an Easter meal.
