BALTIMORE — Monday will mark 16 years that the 53 Families Foundation has been feeding people Thanksgiving dinner, and the founders say this one will be the biggest yet.
The Baltimore Convention Center will be filled with thousands of families sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner Monday. The foundation is expecting to serve 7,000 people and hopes to reach 10,000 to 12,000.
53 Families Foundation prepares for largest Thanksgiving dinner event in 16-year history
"We're at 7,000 now and our goal is to get to 10,000, 12,000, whatever it is that we can do, we are turning nobody away. So like my wife said, like Keisha said this is a labor of love and it's the love for the community," said Jameel McClain.
The event offers more than just dinner. Families will get a chance to meet Ravens players, watch a free comedy show, enjoy games for kids and see other special guests.
"We have a lot of special guest. We are super excited, some returning some it's their first year," Keisha McClain said.
Jameel and Keisha McClain say it means a lot to them to support their neighbors and community, but this year feels more important because of ongoing economic challenges.
"It does feel a lot different this year because we always try to make an impact with people every year. This year, I just feel like people are more scared than ever. It's just so much uncertainty and of course you get a great meal of course you, you know, see people you know and it's fun but the feeling of I'm seeing and I'm hurt and I matter is what we really want to establish this year. It's just a different type of climate and we want people to know that we still love you. You know the community has not failed you and it never will," Keisha McClain said.
"The world is trying to divide us right now, so we need to pull each other closer together and this is just hugging at the heart of it," Jameel McClain said.
The McClains say they couldn't help thousands of people without partnerships with organizations like the Baltimore Convention Center, Jimmy's Seafood, the Baltimore Ravens and the Salvation Army.
"We can't do this without our partners without the community, so we really want to say truly thank you to them," Jameel McClain said.
The 53 Families Foundation hopes to give away as much free food as possible during Monday's event.
Click here to donate.
Registration for the Thanksgiving dinner is still open.
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