ATLANTA — Volunteers from a small but mighty Atlanta nonprofit took time away from their families on Thursday to ensure those without a home got a hot meal and much more this holiday season.
For seven years, Gigi’s Helping Hands has been setting up shop in places around Atlanta in areas where there is a high homeless population. The organization exemplifies the Thanksgiving spirit as it is part of a legacy of serving the community passed down from mother to daughter.
So, while most people are inside their homes spending quality time with family and friends, Keisha Gates and her army of volunteers spent five hours on Thursday in Atlanta's Woodruff Park handing out meals, cutting hair and giving out clothes.
Gates said she's carrying on her mother's ministry of serving those in need.
"That was her ministry, feeding the homeless," Gates stated. "So we've been doing this for seven years, and we come out here every year to feed the homeless."
Her goal for the holiday was to feed over 1,000 people. They met this goal and more with feeding 1,500 people on Thursday.
One of those people was Daniel and his family, which includes a 3-year-old and a 7-month-old baby. They just happened to be walking by when he saw people lined up at Woodruff Park.
“I just seen a lot of people gathered up, so I knew they were giving out something," Daniel said.
He stopped and ended up getting much-needed supplies for everyone.
“Thanksgiving meal, clothes, jackets and shoes," Daniel said.
Robert Brownlee is one of the dozens of volunteers who helped out on Thursday. He said it wasn't too long ago that he was without a home -- but meeting the people at Gigi's Helping Hands seven years ago changed his life.
“I was right up here, up under the bridges around the corner in a tent. But God blessed me to have a roof over my head," Brownlee said.
Now, he joins the group every year to help others.
"God blessed me with a place to stay and also to keep helping Gigi's Helping Hands," Brownlee said. "So whenever they call me, I'm gonna be there."
Brownlee is one of Gigi’s Helping Hands success stories, which leader Keisha Gates said exemplifies that just showing someone cares can make all the difference.
“Wherever we go, we’re going to try to meet the need," Gates said.
Gates said the Thanksgiving giveback moves to a new location each year to help meet community needs.