LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A local nonprofit welcomed thousands of families Wednesday morning for their third annual Thanksgiving dinner giveaway, ensuring no one in Las Vegas goes without a holiday meal.
100 Black Men of Las Vegas distributed 6,000 Thanksgiving meals at their annual event, doubling last year's numbers as food insecurity continues to rise in the community.
WATCH | How this local nonprofit is feeding families for Thanksgiving
"It helps to give a little bit of peace of mind," said Justine Perez, a new mom whose family was among the hundreds of thousands affected by recent government shutdowns.
Perez said her family wasn't receiving much assistance, but what little they got helped for about a week each month. With Thanksgiving approaching, she needed to figure out how to put a family dinner on the table.
"I have no problem with going to food pantries and things like that," Perez said.
Through social media, she and many others found their way to the event hosted by 100 Black Men of Las Vegas, a local nonprofit whose mission is to empower and uplift underserved communities through mentorship, education, and direct service.
Executive Director Gentry Richardson said the event has grown significantly over the years.
"This is our third year, so we started off with about 1,500 meals. Last year we did over 3,000. And this year we're doing 6,000 meals," Richardson said.
The organization partnered with several community organizations including Culinary Academy of Las Vegas, Sands Cares, Caesars Entertainment, Southwest Gas, Aristocrat Gaming, NV Energy, Las Vegas Raiders, AIDS Healthcare Foundation and Councilwoman Shondra Summers-Armstrong.
Each meal included precooked turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green beans and dressing. New this year was a food pop-up at the Nevada Partners Distribution location where additional items were distributed.
"We increased the number because what's happening with SNAP and the food insecurity is increasing," Richardson said.
For Perez, the day was filled with smiles, full plates and helping hands.
"It gives us a little peace of mind to know that if we're short or if we know we're gonna be short within the next couple of days we can go ahead and plan around the food banks and the community services," Perez said.
Organizers say they're already planning for next year's event, noting that if the number of families in need continues to grow, so will their support.
