The best way to give thanks is to give back! To show community spirit and compassion, hundreds of volunteers of all ages are expected to gather together on Thanksgiving to serve meals and cheer at Union Station Homeless Services’ annual Dinner in the Park.
For 45 years, this beloved tradition has been a staple event for the Pasadena community during the holiday season. Volunteers help prepare and serve meals–including turkey, stuffing, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and pie–to all who are hungry at Pasadena’s Central Park on Thanksgiving.
Union Station Homeless Services expects to serve 2,000 plates of food this Thanksgiving, November 24th. Meal recipients will include individuals and families experiencing homelessness or poverty, senior citizens, and those who are alone for Thanksgiving or unable to afford a holiday meal.
“I am so excited to be a part of Union Station’s long-standing Dinner in the Park event this Thanksgiving,” said John Brauer, Union Station’s new CEO. “Serving individuals who need a little help during the holiday season is both an honor and a privilege, and I look forward to rolling up my sleeves along with the other 800 other community volunteers to make this a special day. Union Station is such a vital part of our community, and I’m looking forward to meeting other folks who love the agency as much as I do!”
Volunteer registration for the event is now closed, but community members are invited to help Union Station collect the ingredients and kitchen supplies needed to prepare a great Thanksgiving meal! The wish list of much-needed items is available at unionstationhs.org/DIP2016. Donors may drop off these supplies in the indicated sizes at 412 S. Raymond Ave. in Pasadena.
Dinner in the Park is a true community event and would not be possible without the support of our community members and volunteers. Union Station thanks its event sponsors: Tsutayo Ichioka & Satsuki Nakao Foundation, HomeStreet Bank, Goldstar, SuperKing Markets, Two Men and a Truck, Longo Toyota Scion Lexus, Pasadena Federal Credit Union, Centerplate, and Individual Food Service.
Union Station will no longer be holding Christmas dinner at Central Park. Instead, the festivities will be moved to their Adult Center at 412 S. Raymond for the first annual Christmas at the Station. Volunteer registration for Christmas at the Station will open on December 1 at 9 am.
Please Note: Due to Health Department regulations, Union Station Homeless Services cannot accept turkey or prepared food donations at the event.
About Union Station Homeless Services
Union Station Homeless Services, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, is committed to helping homeless men, women and children rebuild their lives. Union Station Homeless Services is part of a premier group of human services agencies in Los Angeles County that are leading the way to ending homelessness in our community. We are the San Gabriel Valley’s largest social service agency assisting homeless and very low-income adults and families. We believe every person deserves a life of dignity and a safe place to call home. With 43 years of experience, we proudly offer a full continuum of eight programs in seven locations. Services include street outreach, intake/assessment, care coordination and navigation, meals, shelter, housing, employment development, benefits enrollment, and referrals to medical and mental health services. Learn more at unionstationhs.org.
