BALTIMORE — Today is a day to give thanks and a lot of those holiday traditions are underway, including the annual Bea Gaddy Family Center feeding those in need.
This tradition has been going strong for 41 years now with the Bea Gaddy family center feeding thousands of families in need. And thankfully organizers said they were able to eat together once again just like they did before the pandemic.
“It’s a warm and fuzzy feeling and it makes me feel good. Folks know they can come out here and have a warm meal, a wholesome warm meal,” Brooks said.
Cynthia Brooks has been keeping her mother’s tradition alive by organizing the Thanksgiving day event to feed thousands of families in Baltimore.
“Hunger does not discriminate especially with this economy, so you have people walking in we’re not just feeding homeless people we are feeding people,” Brooks said.
Brooks, the executive director for the Bea Gaddy family center, said all of the hard work and sleepless nights are extremely rewarding when she witnesses the many families they touch.
“I’ve really got to say I’m thankful for the citizens of the state of Maryland because had it not been for them it would not be possible,” Brooks said.
Many of those citizens like 14-year-old Zoe Clark was also their to be of service as part of their Thanksgiving tradition.
“I started volunteering here when I was nine years old. Volunteering is like a good thing to do because you never know what somebody else is going through and like it’s just always good to help somebody. If I was one of these people, I would like to be able to have food on Thanksgiving because no one should be hungry on Thanksgiving,” Clark said.
It’s something family and city leaders like Mayor Brandon Scott alike believe will ultimately help strengthen Baltimore city.
“If you want your city to be the best version of itself then all of us have to be that in volunteering not just for the holiday, but consistently in your neighborhood. Mentoring a young person, supporting a family that needs help as a way to uplift the city. Because Baltimore will not be the best version of itself until all Baltimoreans are the best versions of themselves,” Scott said.
After people filled their tummies, they were able to get a bag of food to go so they can make sure they feed their families as well.
Therefore, everyone who needed it could have a good meal this thanksgiving.
