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NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Kimberly George, 423-308-7715 or 423-503-1801, Director of Marketing & Development
Date: November 24, 2009
'Unity in the Community' Group Prepares To Serve Traditional Thanksgiving To Chattanooga's Homeless
Chattanooga, TN – "Unity in the Community," a coalition of local social service agencies, churches, restaurants, businesses and the City of Chattanooga is in the final stages of preparing its third annual Thanksgiving meal for the homeless on Thanksgiving Day in the First Tennessee Pavilion. Very early Thursday morning, hundreds of volunteers will join The Salvation Army, the Community Kitchen, the Union Gospel Mission, Brainerd Baptist and the Downtown Vineyard Churches, among others, to set up tables, chairs, heaters, a children's play area and to decorate at the pavilion on Carter Street across from Finley Stadium.
Last year, 1,700 meals were served, and Unity leaders expect to serve more than 2,000 on Thursday from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. In addition, nearly 200 meals will be taken to Chattanooga Police Department Precinct Houses, and The Salvation Army will be delivering 500 meals to shut-ins and the elderly from its 800 McCallie Avenue location.
Unity Thanksgiving Celebration Co-Director, Kimberly George of The Salvation Army, says blankets are still needed to give to homeless persons. "The forecast is calling for a very cold Thanksgiving morning, and we want to make sure our guests are warm during this special 'turkey and all the trimmings' meal as well as through the coming winter."
Clean blankets can still be brought to The Salvation Army at 822 McCallie Avenue at the corner of McCallie and Magnolia, and to the Community Kitchen on 11th Street.
Shuttles provided by local churches will be picking up guests beginning at 10:30 AM Thursday morning from The Salvation Army locations at 800 McCallie Avenue and 28th and 4th Avenue in East Lake, the Community Kitchen on 11th Street, La Paz de Dios on Union Avenue and from Miller Park in downtown Chattanooga. The free shuttles will run every fifteen minutes. Entertainment will be presented during the meal.
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