Thanksgiving meals offered at The Salvation Army, Hope Campus.

Robert Medley, Fort Smith Times Record
·2 min read

At the Salvation Army this year, the increase in the number of homeless people and others going hungry has been on the rise this year, said Capt. Bradley Hargis.

Salvation Army in Fort Smith will serve a Thanksgiving Day meal from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 24, 301 N. 6th Street downtown.

Hargis said older adults are feeling the pinch of inflation including rising food costs.

"We are seeing a lot more people in need," Hargis said. "In fact it is unprecedented."

The Salvation Army serves nightly meals at 6 p.m. Before COVID-19 that was about 60 people a night and now it is 100 to 120 a night.

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On Thanksgiving Day Thursday, he expects to feed 350 people. There are plenty of volunteers lined up to work Thanksgiving Day, but volunteers are always needed on other nights, he said.

"We always have too many volunteers on Thanksgiving. Then there are nights we are begging for them," Hargis said.

A coat drive has been underway that ends Nov. 18. Donated coats are cleaned by Mr. Rob's Cleaners on Rogers Avenue in Fort Smith.

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Those who need a coat can pick one out after the Thanksgiving Day meal.

For questions or to make a donation to the Salvation Army call 479-783-6145. Donations can be mailed to 301 N. 6th Street and included in the memo line "Community Thanksgiving Meal."

Hope Campus

A Thanksgiving Day meal will be at Hope Campus, 301 S. E. Street.

Also, Pay It Forward Fort Smith will offer Thanksgiving meals to people to pick up 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov 23 at 1824 Louisville Street in Fort Smith.

The meals include turkey, cornbread, dressing, yams with marshmallows, mashed potatoes, triple cheese macaroni, green beans or corn, salad with ranch dressing, rolls or bread, pumpkin pie, spice cake with walnuts and brown sugar icing, pumpkin cookie bars with brown sugar icing.

Food delivery requirements and donation dropoff information can be found by contacting Darla Lackey on Facebook Messenger.

This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Thanksgiving Day meal set at Fort Smith Salvation Army