Diwali for Thanksgiving

 



At the beginning of most months, Angel House Soup Kitchen has a bit of a lull in visitors. When their usual visitors have paychecks and food stamp benefits hit their accounts they don’t have as much of a need for the emergency meals the kitchen provides for free. Conveniently located in downtown Austin, anyone in need can receive a hot meal, including their famous soup.  By partnering with the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas, they can receive bulk food items from us perfect for the congregate community meals they serve.

But this November, their guests made sure to mark their calendars for a special visit to the kitchen.  Diwali was ?) celebrated at the kitchen, and the Dharod Food Foundation served a traditional Thanksgiving dinner to celebrate the festival of lights.

The Dharod family is one of the largest owners of Applebees restaurants in Texas and is the driving force behind the Dharod Food Foundation.   The foundation’s mission is to help fight hunger in Texas by bringing awareness and education about nutrition and food choices.

At the Diwali feast, Applebees restaurant staff volunteered to serve the meals just as they do at work by delivering the plated meals to seated guests.  In addition to traditional pumpkin pie, guests enjoyed traditional Diwali candy.



Our work is as much about nutrition and food as it is about community.  On days like this, we are reminded how much a personal moment can make a world of difference to the health and vibrancy of our community.

Thank you to Applebees staff and the Dharod Food Foundation for joining us in our mission.

Photo Credit:  Jenni Jones