Local nonprofit hands out meals weekly to those in need
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Thanksgiving has passed, but that doesn’t stop members of the community from celebrating the giving spirit.
A local non-profit organization called Derek’s Place has been handing out meals to people experiencing homelessness every Sunday since July 2019.
Theresa Adkison, the founder of Derek’s Place, started the organization as a way to honor her son Derek, who died in 2018 from a drug overdose.
“After he died, I promised him that I would spend the rest of my life helping people just like him,” Adkison said.
Sunday would have been her son’s 38th birthday. She celebrated it by preparing dozens of meals alongside volunteers in the kitchen of the St. John’s United Church of Christ.
“I hope he’s proud of me, I hope he is. I think that he’s up there rooting for me,” Adkison said.
One of those volunteers was Gaby Frisby. It was her first time volunteering with Derek’s Place.
“I wanted to do something to help that particular community,” Frisby said.
The organization passed out around 80 pounds of turkey and meals with mashed potatoes, veggies and pies. The spots where they give out food can vary. Sunday they passed out meals at Heartside Park.
Adkison said they normally pass out Thanksgiving-style meals on the holiday, but decided to pass them out on Sunday to help those who were missed during the holidays.
Derek’s Place said that they have served more than 4,000 meals to this day.
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