Thanksgiving for hundreds: Catholic Charities ready to serve ‘all walks of life’

A pair of sous chefs sliced turkey and plated pumpkin pie triangles the morning before Thanksgiving Day in Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada’s modern kitchen. The executive chef dug and spun a broom-sized metal mixer in a hefty pot of soup.

The workers were preparing Thursday’s traditional meal for the Las Vegas Valley’s “most vulnerable men, women and children,” according to the nonprofit that shelters homeless persons.

In total, volunteers are expected to serve 700 warm meals Thursday morning, comprising 300 pounds each of roast turkey, garlic mashed potatoes, cornbread stuffing and green beans.

“We take it very seriously,” said Leslie Carmine, the nonprofit’s community relations manager. “We want to allow everybody to enjoy the holiday.”

She added: “We serve all walks of life.”

Longtime tradition

Catholic Charities began offering the free Thanksgiving meals in 1965.

It’s a yearly tradition attended by some repeat visitors. But it’s also available to anyone else who might need a bite or company during the family-oriented holiday, regardless of “race, religion or creed,” Carmine noted.

Attendees on Thursday are welcome to inquire about other services offered at Catholic Charities, she said.

Thursday’s meal preparations began earlier this week, Carmine said, but the planning goes back to February.

“It is an honor to see our dining hall filled with satisfied folks, eating a delicious holiday meal and sharing friendly conversations with strangers,” Catholic Charities CEO Deacon Tom Roberts said in a statement. “These moments of happiness are made of precious donations from members of our incredible community.”

This will be Roberts’ last Thanksgiving as head of the nonprofit as he’s retiring and making way for incoming CEO Sara Ramirez, a longtime leader within the national Catholic Charities organization.

Catholic Charities also delivered thousands of pre-cooked Thanksgiving dinners to seniors as part of its “Meals on Wheels” program. The in-house pantry, which resembles a supermarket, offered ingredients to cook the traditional holiday meal, Carmine said.

Community members had donated more than 3,000 turkeys to the nonprofit since last month, a figure on track to surpass the 3,346 birds donated last year.

“For those that are visiting our food pantry, hopefully we’re able to give them enough items so they’re able to make their own Thanksgiving meal at home,” Carmine said.

Other nonprofits step in

Catholic Charities isn’t the only organization feeding the food-insecure community in Southern Nevada yearlong.

Three Square’s food bank helps feed 341,000 persons, according to Maurice Johnson, director of food sourcing and relationships at the nonprofit.

That amounted to 49 million pounds of food in fiscal 2023, he said.

This month Three Square started a drive that runs until the end of the year. Every dollar donated to the nonprofit is matched by one of its donors, Johnson said. Funds raised from the program will help plan next year’s Thanksgiving drive.

The Salvation Army of Southern Nevada is expecting to serve 1,200 families for the Thanksgiving holiday, said Major Harold Laubach Jr., divisional secretary for the organization. Anyone is welcome to come to its shelter at 35 W. Owens Ave. for a meal.

“You don’t have to go very far when it comes to the increase in food prices recently,” he said. “So, with increases in food prices, increases in housing costs and rent and all those different things, people just need assistance.”

The Salvation Army also has provided bus vouchers to people who want to travel to visit family over the holiday weekend, Laubach added.

Carmine this week reflected about past Thanksgiving meals at Catholic Charities.

“There’s a lot of happy people in our dining room,” she said. “And that’s just the way we like it.”

Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com. Contact Annie Vong at avong@reviewjournal.com. Follow @annievwrites on X.