Lincoln’s People’s City Mission prepares Thanksgiving meals

More than 1,800 people lack housing on any given night in Lincoln, and close to 500 people end up with nowhere to go.

Without shelter, they stay under bridges, in parks and in abandoned places around town.

With facts like these posted on its Web site, Lincoln's People's City Mission (PCM) is the oldest institution in the city working to end homelessness for the past 102 years. During this time, they've helped more than 1 million people with different backgrounds, needs and disabilities. They provide people with emergency assistance of food, shelter and clothing, as well as facilities and staff to help individuals overcome their status of "homeless."

Turkey day is approaching, and PCM is preparing its traditional Thanksgiving meal for those with no place to go for the holiday.

PCM's mission to feed and shelter homeless people in the city is played out in this much-anticipated event.

"Thanksgiving and Christmas, both, are a time of celebration and of family," said Tom Barber, PCM pastor. "Everyone kicks back and enjoys, but if you're homeless, it's an immediate reminder of the fact that you're homeless."

Scents of thyme and fresh baked bread fill the mission in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. Housing about 370 people in this mission alone, a crew of workers and volunteers spend long hours preparing the traditional fare for the feast.

Open from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Thanksgiving Day, between 700 and 800 people walk through PCM's doors to receive a hot meal. Barber emphasized their focus on making the dinner a family experience. As Barber makes his rounds to greet each table, he sees first hand the joy this one meal brings to the participants.

"I think I enjoy just trying to make it feel like a joyful place," Barber said. "There are a lot of people that don't have a reason to be joyful, but they're happy, and that's a good thing to be around."

Matthew Principato definitely didn't have much of a reason to give thanks.

Struggling with a recent divorce and coping with the effects of his diagnosis with mild autism, Principato stayed at PCM for two years in an effort to get his life back together.

"The staff really helped me with learning how to live on my own," Principato said. "They counseled me through the transition and the tough time I was having."

Principato attended his first Thanksgiving dinner at PCM last year. The warm food and company helped him deal with the anxiety of not having any family to be with for the holiday.

"Everyone was really in a positive mood; it felt like being around family, so even though it was the just men from the mission, it felt like a big family instead of just being by yourself," Principato said. "Being by yourself, it's really hard to get that feeling of family. It really brought everyone together even if it was just for that dinner."

Respect is one of the core values at PCM, and it's demonstrated through actions at the Thanksgiving dinner. Volunteers not only help prepare the food and amiably joke with the diners, but they also seat people and take the orders, bringing them personalized plates piled high with all the traditional fixings.

"They actually come up and you tell them, off of a list, what you want, and they'll get it for you," Principato said. "It felt really good because it didn't feel like I was going through the lunch line."

This year is a little different for Principato. Transitioning from the mission to living with some family members, he's thankful for his success in making it through the process.

"I'm thankful for being with my family and having the support of PCM," Principato said. "I came back, and everyone is still nice and friendly."

Principato is unsure of his Thanksgiving plans for this year, but PCM is still at the center of his holidays. He's currently on a need-based list of people who receive a food basket containing a whole turkey and all the fixings from the mission.

However, Principato is thinking about going to the dinner at PCM just to see some of his old friends.

Either way, his favorite part of the Thanksgiving meal awaits him this Thursday: a big slice of pumpkin pie, topped with a generous dollop of whipped cream.

Between the food basket donations and the meal, Lincoln's PCM serves Thanksgiving to those in the area who have fallen on difficult times. PCM is prepared to serve more than 1,000 meals and give away hundreds of food baskets this year.

If nothing else, that's something to be thankful for.

ashaanchan@dailynebraskan.com