The Daily Southerner, Tarboro, NC

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  • W.TERRY SMITH

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November 17, 2009

TCO plans Thanksgiving meal

W. TERRY SMITH

Yes, there will be a traditional dinner for the less fortunate this Thanksgiving.

But instead of it being at Tarboro High School as it has been the last two years under auspices of Project Thanksgiving, it returns to Tarboro Community Outreach on Cedar Lane.

“We’ve had Thanksgiving dinner here since 1986,” said Sister Mary Ann Czaja, executive director since TCO opened 27 years ago.

“We welcome everybody. It’s open to everyone,” she said. “No questions asked.”

Because the homeless shelter can only sit about 230 people at one time, take-outs are being encouraged.

“We welcome the county to come to the Outreach for the comfort of a hot meal,” Czaja said. “We wish those who can eat in their homes a happy Thanksgiving, too.

“If they want to come by and get a take-out meal to eat in the comfort of their homes, that’s OK, too. No questions asked.”

Thanksgiving will simply be an extension of what Czaja and her volunteers do every day at TCO. They average feeding 250 to 300 people lunch daily – up to 500 at the end of the month.

Czaja promises the traditional Thanksgiving meal of turkey and ham – plus beef and pork shish kabobs for fun – and vegetables will be “delicious and healthy.”

“We’ll have plenty,” she said. “I think it will be wonderful.”

Tarboro Community Outreach receives food from the Interfaith Food Shuttle out of Raleigh, the Mobile Food Pantry from Greenville, the Sara Lee Bakery in Tarboro and the two Food Lion grocery stores in Tarboro.

“We couldn’t do what we’re doing without Food Lion,” Czaja said, “and good ol’ Sara Lee. We’re grateful for their support.”

TCO is home to 20 men at present, plus 10 more people in transitional housing and four women and children at The Blessing Place. Many of them will volunteer to help in the kitchen.

“We’ll be cooking all night,” Czaja said. “We will prepare food for 500. If we have left overs, we will have them the next day.”

Project Thanksgiving was successful because of the generous donations of money from area residents. So far, TCO has received $2,315 from 24 donors.

“We believe we give witness to the gospel values,” Czaja said. “We’re walking with the poor and things are really tough. People don’t have jobs. I have helped them fill out a million applications. I think this is the toughest times I’ve seen.

“We are a lighthouse in these times of storm.”

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