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AUSTIN, Texas - For the 28th year, 14,000 people packed the Palmer Events Center to enjoy the HEB Feast of Sharing.
“So it’s really open to the entire community, whether times are tight and you need a holiday meal or maybe your family’s out of town, we want you to come out and celebrate with us,” said Leslie Sweet, spokesperson for HEB.
Everyone, no matter what age, has their own reason for attending the event. For those without a place to call home, it’s a reminder that they aren’t forgotten.
“A lot of times, sad as it is to say, people like us are just ignored for the most part. And that’s just the sad truth about it, but people like this let us know that we’re not alone and that people are thinking about us and that’s really pretty damn important,” said Joseph Avila who is currently experiencing homelessness.
More than 1,000 volunteers help serve up about 3,500 pounds of turkey with all the fixings. Many of them are the same volunteers who helped feed families displaced by Hurricane Harvey.
“People were so grateful that we were down there helping out with hot meals, otherwise they couldn’t have had a hot meal,” said Bill Mosley who worked with HEB’s mobile kitchen immediately following Harvey.
There were also several nonprofits at the Feast of Sharing to educate people about homeless shelters, health care and other social services.