It\'s a warm meal shared among thousands -- the city\'s Walter E. Washington Convention Center played host to 5,000 guests, volunteers and local leaders taking part in the 14th annual Feast of Sharing.
Mayor Gray dances with one of the 5,000 guests at the Feast of Sharing event on Wednesday, Nov. 27. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
Homeless, elderly and families in transition are some of the 5,000 guests hosted for Thanksgiving dinner at the D.C. Convention Center. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
Trays of pumpkin pie wait to be delivered to the guests seated with strangers, who become friends, at the Feast of Sharing. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
The convention center's largest room is filled with guests, volunteer servers and local leaders who all make the event a success. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WTOP/Megan Cloherty
Safeway employees also volunteer at the event sponsored by the store which provides the food. (WTOP/Megan Cloherty)
WASHINGTON – It’s a warm meal shared among thousands — the city’s Walter E. Washington Convention Center played host to 5,000 guests, volunteers and local leaders taking part in the 14th annual Feast of Sharing.
“The food is deep. It’s good, it’s good,” says a guest who wants to go by the name Peaches. She comes every year to enjoy what is her thanksgiving meal and meet people.
“I like the way they treat us, the food, the atmosphere, everything is perfect,” she says.
At the size of the event, Mayor Vincent Gray says while he’s happy to see so many provided for, he’s also concerned to see so many struggling with hunger.
“What is not so uplifting is to see how many people have needs, especially around hunger. You know, we just saw the cuts in the food stamp program at the federal level. That’s going to create more hardship for people,” Gray says.
Safeway and the city sponsor the event which also provides health screenings, clothing donations and a job fair for visitors.
