We asked some of our staff what it means to them to be at PGM at Thanksgiving. Here is what they shared:

“Having been homeless myself, I know holidays can be very empty when you are homeless. The love that we show here, not just on Thanksgiving and Christmas but throughout the year, and knowing you are going to get a full course traditional Thanksgiving meal and knowing that it will be served with love, that is great. That is what we do here.” —Otis M

“It seems when there are holidays going on here at the Mission we all seem to come together, and we are joyful, grateful to be together.” —Gracie

“It means a lot of love. More people than usual come in. A lot of people are in need of love, and we are here to provide that for them.” —Sonya

“It is really fun to see the kids, mothers, and everyone eating together, praising God for the food and the many blessings He has given us.” —Lee

“It is very encouraging when you see the men and women when they are sitting at the table, eating that great big meal that has been specially prepared for them, and you see the smiles on their faces and the volunteers that come in. It’s very encouraging to many of us to see what God is doing here.” —Denise

“Thanksgiving is a difficult time. My thoughts growing up with Thanksgiving are thoughts of family, and when I look at some of the men, women, and children walking through these doors, this is their holiday. Their Thanksgiving is in a shelter, and though we try to make it as pleasant as possible, and have a number of meals and celebrate, they are still celebrating at a homeless shelter. For the children, we want to make those memories as pleasant as possible, so it means a lot to me to be here and give back to those who may not have what others have.” —Pastor Phil