Friends of the Poor provides 3,500 with Thanksgiving meals

Nov. 23—SCRANTON — For Daniel Desmarais, any little bit helps during what he said has been a tough year at the grocery store.

On Tuesday, the 60-year-old city resident made his way the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple for the Friends of the Poor's Thanksgiving Community Dinner distribution.

He left with three meals — one each for him, his girlfriend and her daughter — and some humble gratitude.

"Yeah, I tell you what, the prices for food are ridiculous. It costs me twice as much to go shopping now," Desmarais said. "So this is real nice."

In all, the Friends of the Poor distributed 3,500 Thanksgiving dinners at the 46th annual event, which was takeout only for a third straight year.

Volunteers spent hours preparing and packing the meals inside the center's ballroom before delivering 1,515 dinners to various area high-rises and senior living facilities, said Meghan Loftus, Friends of the Poor president and CEO.

The roughly 2,000 others went onto tables outside, where more volunteers handed them out to recipients who drove or walked up on North Washington Avenue.

Friends of the Poor had about 200 volunteers take part in the effort, and Loftus said that outpouring of support makes the Thanksgiving dinner one of her favorite events.

"We have people calling us for weeks leading up to it wanting to volunteer, but then we also have the people who have made this a family tradition and just show up the day of year in and year out," she said. "They don't even call ahead of time. They are just here."

Rosemary Baldi, 77, Dunmore, who has volunteered at the dinner for five years, worked inside, helping to close up the meals and add cranberry sauce.

"I like people. I like working working with people, and I just feel it's time for me to give back," she said.

U.S. Sen. Bob Casey joined the volunteers outside, handing out meals to motorists in the line of cars that snaked down North Washington.

Even before COVID-19, there was substantial food insecurity locally and across the country, but the pandemic only made it worse, Casey said. He pointed out Friends of the Poor served over 111,000 people in 2021.

"Friends of the Poor just does heroic work, and their mission is so critical now — and so inspiring," the senator said.

Clarks Summit resident Janine Port, 62, who started helping at the dinner when her parents volunteered, said there is no reason ever that anyone should be ashamed to ask for food.

"The need is always there," she said. "There are young families that may have one parent for many reasons, so it never ends. There is never a gap. It's just being aware and educating people. The resources are there. Just ask."

Contact the writer: dsingleton@timesshamrock.com, 570-348-9132