With Christmas only a few days away, a Richmond-based church is working hard to ensure as many people as possible have a festive meal over the holidays.
Richmond Emmanuel Church, the first Chinese Anglican Church in the city, will partner with several local not-for-profits to provide 582 turkey meals to those in need from Dec. 19 to 21, said Richmondite Thomas Leung, outreach council member for Emmanuel Church.
“Finding silver linings in 2020 isn’t easy, but as a caring community, we hope to spread hope and love to the lives of others in the darkest of days,” said Leung, adding it’s the church’s first time launching this meal initiative, called “sharing against the odds.”
“We got the idea from Union Gospel Mission, which normally hands out more than a thousand Thanksgiving meals across multiple Metro Vancouver locations.”
Chefs from Richmond-based Continental Seafood Restaurant will prepare the meals. Each Christmas meal will include turkey, mashed potatoes, mixed vegetables, cranberry sauce and gravy.
“The meal portion is way more than enough to serve two people,” Leung said with a laugh. “The chef shared some sample meals with us. I was stuffed after that.”
Delivering 582 turkey meals will be a joint effort, with help not only from church members but from several local not-for-profits as well, including Richmond Food Bank, which will also receive 150 meals.
Each meal will also be paired up with a special “caring packet” made by church members. Each packet will include candies and a handwritten note with words of encouragement and support.
“We don’t want anyone to feel lonely and forgotten during the most challenging times,” added Leung.
The Christmas Turkey Meals & Caring Packet will be delivered to people who use the following local non-profit services:
1) Richmond Food Bank Society
2) Pathways Clubhouse
3) The Salvation Army - Richmond House Emergency Shelter
4) VCH Richmond Mental Health Consumers & Friends’ Society
5) Women’s Resources Centre
6) Healthiest Babies Possible
7) Touchtone Family Association
8) Seniors from the Richmond Emmanuel Church
