San Francisco's Glide Memorial Church maintained its annual tradition of giving this Thanksgiving, offering a feast to those in need within the community. Volunteers were busy preparing the traditional holiday meal featuring turkey, ham, and all the trimmings, starting the kitchen work more than a day in advance. According to ABC7 News, Glide also extended its reach, bringing approximately 250 meals directly to the city's unhoused population, who might otherwise have struggled to participate in the communal celebration.

Glide has been consistent in its mission to support vulnerable populations, and volunteers are not deterred in their efforts, even as challenges arise. As reported by ABC7 News, Sister Anya Streets of Glide's harm reduction team highlighted the difficulty of tracking down the unhoused due to the city's efforts to get people off the streets. "It's a challenge for us to find people in the same areas, that's about as simple as I can say that," she said, ready nonetheless to continue their work daily to fulfill the needs they encounter.

This year holds significant sentiment, as it marks the first Thanksgiving since the passing of Glide co-founder Reverend Cecil Williams. Glide's President and CEO, Dr. Gina Fromer, emphasized the church's commitment, telling KRON4, "Glide is here every day and I always want to reiterate that we are here 364 days a year feeding our communities, supporting our communities, giving services and counseling to our communities, housing people in our community, and today, Thanksgiving is just a culmination of the love and the community."

Delivering meals is coupled with connecting individuals with other forms of assistance, such as housing and counseling. Glide's harm reduction team, including individuals like Felanie Castro, known as Sister Anya Streets, and case manager Rizzy Spoer, work closely with the community nearly every day. "The holidays can be really hard for people, so it's just nice to show Glide cares for them and that we'll love them no matter where they're at," Spoer told ABC7 News. As part of their ongoing initiatives, Glide will also extend their charity through the upcoming holiday season, with plans already in place for the next major meal service on Christmas.