Midland’s Open Door serves food to 175 people over Christmas weekend
During the holiday season, Midland’s Open Doors provided two holiday meals to the community.
On Saturday, December 24th and Sunday, December 25th, the Open Door Soup Kitchen served lunch and dinner, respectively, to the homeless and/or food insecure in the Midlands area community.
Despite severe winter storms affecting the area, the kitchen served more than 155 people over the holiday weekend.
The Open Doors holiday weekend started with lunch on Christmas Eve. Twenty gallons of homemade chicken noodle soup and bread were shared with the Soup Kitchen guests. Volunteers packed and delivered bread and soup to residents of senior living communities such as Greenhill Apartments, Washington Woods, and Cleveland Manor, according to a press release from Open Door. This was due to the freezing temperatures and high winds of winter storm Elliott.
In total, Open Door served about 90 meals for 75 people on Saturday. 40 were provided in-house and 35 were delivered, said her executive director, Renee Pettinger.
Open Door also offered its spin on Sunday’s traditional Christmas meal. Balsamic Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Garlic Aioli, Blackened Green Beans, Winter Green Salad, and Sicilian Orange Cake for dessert. According to a press release, the meal was prepared and served by Midland Community Christmas Day volunteers.
About 110 meals were served to about 80 people at Christmas, Pettinger said.
Open Door volunteers, donors and friends also donated dozens of homemade baked goods to be handed out over the holiday weekend as part of Open Door’s annual Operation Christmas Cookies project.
Guests also received Christmas stockings and hats donated by the community and hygiene kits made by members of the Sacramental Church.
“Despite the difficult weather this weekend, our community delivered a wonderful Christmas celebration for our neighbors in need,” Pettinger said. “From the food and gifts donated to those who braved the inclement weather to cook, serve and serve, the care and care of the community was a shining example of the joy of Christmas.”