Lighthouse Mission Ministries in Bellingham is bringing back the community aspect of its annual Thanksgiving dinner, which is offered to hundreds of hungry and/or homeless people in the community.
The 99th-annual Thanksgiving dinner will be served by dozens of volunteers at noon Thursday, Nov. 24 at the Church of the Assumption’s gymnasium, 2116 Cornwall Ave. The church donates use of the gymnasium for this dinner and anyone who is hungry is welcome. This will be the first Thanksgiving dinner at the church since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019, which led to smaller dinners limited to Lighthouse Mission guests.
This year’s feast will include roast turkey, stuffing, garlic mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, salad and plenty of pies. Besides the food, the dinner meets another important need for many.
“Nobody likes to be alone on the holidays,” said Hans Erchinger-Davis, President and CEO of Lighthouse Mission Ministries. “Our guests especially need a place to connect and feel human.”
The community can support the Thanksgiving dinner, as well as another holiday meal at 1 p.m. Christmas Day at Church of the Assumption. Donations for the meal, which costs $2.17 per person, can be made online at https://www.thelighthousemission.org/donation/.
Also, volunteers are needed for set-up, clean-up, assisting the kitchen, serving food restaurant style, bussing tables and more. Volunteers may email contact@thelighthousemission.org and they will then receive an online sign-up access link.
“Our goal is for everyone who comes to the Lighthouse Mission to know they are loved and cared for, by us and by God,” Erchinger-Davis said. “Enjoying a warm meal can be the first step toward life change.”
Lighthouse Mission Ministries has been helping people who are homeless since 1923. It cares for up to 310 people each day and provides a continuum of services aimed at ending homelessness through street outreach, enhanced shelters, addiction recovery, spiritual support, and aftercare. To make a donation or volunteer, call (360) 733-5120, or visit www.thelighthousemission.org.
