GREEN BAY, Wis. (NBC 26) — Whether it's loaded with turkey, mashed potatoes or pumpkin pie, locals like Kris Olson are working to make sure everybody has a plate during the holidays.
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"Nobody's gonna leave here without a full belly, that's for sure," Olson said.
On Thanksgiving Day, the New Community Shelter in Green Bayprovided a free turkey lunch and dinner to hundreds of Northeast Wisconsinites.
"We're able to serve everybody in need in our community and that makes it all worth it," Olson, a director at the shelter, said.
Volunteers served food to over 200 people before the night was over.
"Numbers have been going up a little bit now," Olson said. "When people were getting the stimulus checks it went down a little bit. But they're starting to head up again."
So helpers like Kathy Orlowski were there on Thanksgiving to carry the load.
"You look at this room and you look at all the different people giving their time, their talents... whether it's volunteering to cook, volunteering to serve dessert," Orlowski said.
Though it's a holiday, she says there are plenty of Northeast Wisconsinites without a table to sit at.
"There are people that love the holidays and I think there are people that have a hard time with the holidays, people that may be alone, people that may not have a whole lot of family," Orlowski said.
But with enough turkey to go around, the New Community Shelter is one home that invited everyone to Thanksgiving.
"It just brings a sense of togetherness and that's what the holidays are all about," Orlowski said.
