FLORIDA CITY, Fla. — Inside the kitchen at Branches in Florida City, the Thanksgiving rush begins before sunrise. Stoves roar to life, ovens fill with roasting turkeys and volunteers move quickly to prepare more than a thousand hot meals for families in need.
At the center of it all is Chef Ray, who has been part of the annual tradition since its inception.
“My wife started this program like 30 years ago, and I started volunteering — and I’m here,” he said.
Ray is one of many volunteers helping Branches deliver and serve meals on Thursday, a service he says is essential.
“Because if we don’t do it, who’s going to do it? This is our community,” he said.
The need is especially great this year. Organizers say rising prices, lost benefits and unpaid government workers have strained families across South Florida.
“This year particularly, it’s been a difficult year for so many people,” said Kim Torres, senior vice president of programs for Branches. “There’s just been such a strain on people.”
“I think that human touch is really, really important and special,” she said. “The idea of bringing people together on Thanksgiving to serve — I really love.”
Branches is doing both: delivering meals door-to-door and hosting a large Thanksgiving lunch on-site.
For Chef Ray, returning to the kitchen year after year is about more than tradition — it’s about creating community.
“When you see people coming through the doors, and when everybody is sitting down eating and talking to each other, it creates community,” he said. “We want to serve and also create community.”
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