It’s not unheard of for an organization to help feed the homeless during this time of year. But a restaurant offering a free Thanksgiving meal to anyone who wants one? That’s a little more rare.
Though Sapulpa has no formal homeless shelter, several organizations consistently ensure that our food-insecure families have a meal during the holidays.
And though folks needing a warm meal were certainly welcome to come to My Table (219 E. Dewey) on Thanksgiving Day, they weren’t the only ones invited; a free Thanksgiving meal was offered to anyone who walked in the doors between 2 pm and 4 pm on Thursday.
Owner Elaine Wheat said the day was a dream she’s had for a decade becoming a reality.
“I had a dream about ten years ago, where I had this long table with everyone gathered around, enjoying the food and time with each other,” she said. “Of course, I didn’t know what it meant at the time, but this is something I’ve always wanted to do.”
Wheat said the idea came back to her in October as they began to think about the holidays coming up. “I asked my husband, ‘could we do this?’ and he said ‘go for it’ so, here we are.”
As she began to put the idea out there that My Table would be offering a free meal, others stepped in to assist.
“I had a lady call me and ask, ‘what do you need?’ and I told her, ‘well, I could use some more desserts.’ that evening, her daughter shows up with like twenty pies.
“The response has really just been amazing. Different people are coming by just to drop off a check to help pay for all the food. It’s been great.”
Though there was no official word on how many were served, Wheat says they had a consistent crowd during the time they were open, and she says that My Table will probably offer another free meal closer to Christmas.
