Frontline Mission moving forward with Thanksgiving dinner

WASILLA — Frontline Mission is on a mission to keep their annual Thanksgiving dinner going, expecting to serve more meals than ever before due to the financial hardships resulting from the COVID-19 crisis.

According to program coordinator Matthew Sheets, Frontline is moving forward with the dinner with the intent of retaining the indoor dining experience at the Menard Sports Center.

He said that meal pick up will also be an option for those wishing to stay in their homes, and they will have a streamlined drive thru running throughout the event. He noted that the indoor eating is subject to change due to surrounding conditions, but the meal pick up will remain no matter what.

“With everything going on, Frontline’s really looking to still meet the need out there in the community. I think more now than in previous years, there’s more people who are in a place where they need help,” Sheets said. “They need to feel that there are people who love, support and care about them. Frontline Mission wants to meet the need that’s in the community. That’s what Frontline mission is about, meeting the need.”

Frontline has seen twice the amount of request for services such as food assistance since March, according to Sheets.

“A lot of families found themselves in a place they never been in the past,” Sheets said. “We’re just trying to be that connecting place for families and people who need help.

The dinner will feature all the classic Thanksgiving fixings including mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, rolls, and three kinds of pies with many more kinds of desserts.

Frontline volunteers served about 1,700 meals last year. Sheets said they’re expecting over 2,000 this year due to the overall increase in demand. He said it’s a great opportunity for families to volunteer and bond together.

He noted that it’s not an event targeted specifically for the homeless, that it’s a wide invitation used for a wide range of reasons, namely people without any family members in the state. It’s meant to be a safe place brimming with hot meals and social connections.

“It’s more than just giving food to people, it’s about meeting the emotional needs… That’s why it was important for Frontline to move forward with the Thanksgiving dinner,” Sheets said. “Everyone’s welcome.”

People can pick up food or eat inside the Menard Sports Center anytime between 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thanksgiving Day.

Frontline Mission is still seeking volunteers for the Thanksgiving dinner. For more information, call 907-357-8600 or visit frontlinemission.org.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman reporter Jacob Mann at jacob.mann@frontiersman.com