Father Joe's Villages hosted a Christmas meal on Friday, offering more than 1,000 holiday meals and care packages for individuals and families experiencing homelessness and food insecurity before the holiday.
The Christmas meal welcomes guests to a traditional, sit-down meal featuring holiday classics like smoked turkey, cranberry stuffing, green beans and dessert. Along with the meal, guests received a holiday care package including rain ponchos, t-shirts, briefs, hats, gloves, socks, hygiene products, masks and a note of encouragement, a statement from Father Joe's read.
"The holidays can be an especially difficult time for our most vulnerable neighbors," said Deacon Jim Vargas, president and CEO of Father Joe's Villages, one of San Diego's largest homelessness services providers. "This is why we gather each year: Not just to ensure our neighbors enjoy a nutritious meal but to have a space to come together and celebrate the possibilities of a brighter future."
The event included live music, decorations and a visit from the nonprofit's mascot Feather Joe and Santa's elves. Vargas led a prayer service at the event's opening.
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"Year round, people living on the streets struggle to find the sustenance and shelter they need to thrive," a statement from Father Joe's reads, "Winter, and colder weather, can make finding a safe place to sleep at night even harder.
"Christmas can be a time of celebration but for neighbors who are isolated and alone, it can also be a reminder of the traditional support systems that they may lack," it reads. "Along with providing a supportive community, Father Joe's Villages works to provide nutrition and hope to people experiencing homelessness."
According to the nonprofit, Father Joe's Villages serves nearly a million hot, nutritious meals to neighbors in need on average each year, or more than 23,500 pounds of food each day.
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The meal ran from 11 a.m. to noon at the Franklin Antonio Public Lunch Program, 1501 Imperial Ave.
