SALT LAKE CITY -- The Salt Lake City Mission served between two and three thousand people this Thanksgiving Day, one day after they distributed nearly 4,000 meals for people to take home.
It's a decades-long tradition fueled by the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and even more donations.
"I think everybody needs a safe place, and this is a wonderful place to be if you want to be safe," said Debora Greco, who brought her daughter, Brooklyn, and her daughter's friend, Felicity, to volunteer with her.
"I'm blessed today," Greco said. "I wasn't always. I was in need. Found myself in need many times."
"It really warms my heart to see there are so many people around that actually care," said a homeless client, who chose to be identified only as Michael.
Brad Jaques of the Salt Lake City Mission said the meal is part of their Christian outreach to everyone who needs a place to eat and celebrate the holiday.
"Everybody is welcome," he said. "Doesn't matter what race, what creed, what color you are, how you're dressed: We want people to come here and feel like they're family."