Union Gospel Mission Serves Up Hot, Socially-Distanced Meals For 1,300+ Minnesotans In Need
ST. PAUL, Minn. (WCCO) -- In a untraditional year, one Christmas tradition continued Friday: the gift of a warm holiday meal.
More than 1,000 low income and 300 homeless Minnesotans were fed warm Christmas meals from volunteers with the Union Gospel Mission in St. Paul.
This is something the mission does each Christmas, but normally the volunteers deliver the hot meals to the high rise community rooms and serve a large group of people buffet style. In the age of COVID-19, the 65 volunteers packed up their cars and drove the meals to 19 low income high rises, divvied out all the hot food into individual to-go boxes and hand delivered those meals to each apartment unit.
"It's Christmas day and there's so many people in need, how can I not be here?" said Elizabeth Lasley-Lord, who volunteered with her friend Mary Williams. The two also dressed up in holiday costumes to bring some extra joy to the people they're serving.
"Whenever you have an opportunity, give a smile and whatever small act of kindness you can, because you don't know what difference that could make for somebody, you can save a life doing that," Lasley-Lord said.
One of the largest drop-off locations was Ravoux High Rise in St. Paul. Volunteers packaged 115 to-go box meals and brought them to each room.
"This is a great socially distanced way to serve others," Williams said.
To learn more about Union Gospel Mission, click here.