A special Thanksgiving dinner was held a week early at Malibu Presbyterian Church for those who otherwise will have no place to go for the holiday. More than 100 homeless people were treated to a beautifully prepared hot meal of turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and all the trimmings donated and served by 40 church volunteers of all ages.
Many of the guests, some of whom are chronically homeless and some recent, were bused to the church from the Malibu Civic Center, courtesy of Malibu Presbyterian. Along with dinner and dessert, volunteers from the locally based charity Standing on Stone, which partnered with the church for the dinner, gave out warm clothes, sleeping bags, toiletries and even tents to those in need.
Pastor Greg Hughes of Malibu Presbyterian said the dinner goes far beyond a simple meal.
“The idea is not just to give them food that satisfies them for a day; we’re trying to build relationships with them, give them hope and encouragement,” Hughes explained. “We hope that maybe we can, by our friendship and care, encourage them to make the next step — maybe to find a shelter, to find a job, reconcile past broken relationships. We feel a helping hand and a caring hand might bring some change and hopefulness to their lives. That’s the purpose of what this meal is all about.”
Reggie Goco, who runs Standing on Stone, told The Malibu Times that his organization, which is run entirely by volunteers, helps people transition when they are going through difficult times.
“They may need help finding a job or getting a driver’s license or a Social Security card. We try to meet people where they’re at and what they’re ready for,” Goco said.
The group hosts dinners every Thursday night at another church, Malibu United Methodist, and partners with area churches and synagogues, including St. Aidan’s, Pepperdine and Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue, to provide the meals.
“The dinners that we hold every Thursday are just our way of getting to know our members,” Goco explained. “The ones who are ready — we help them out. The ones who are not — we just love them. Homelessness can happen to anybody. It’s just a matter of loosing your job and not being able to find one and the next thing you know you have bills that are overdue.
“We try to see it that way and be a blessing,” Goco continued. “Knowing that we are all equals and that it can happen to anybody. So, next time you see someone out there who’s homeless, try not to get scared and see it from a different perspective. Go out and help.”
“It’s not just food,” Hughes said. “We want to offer friendship and relationships and care.”
Many of the homeless in attendance Thursday expressed thankfulness for the hot meal including a man who identified himself as “Ray.” Ray, who has been homeless for six years and said this was his 250th such dinner in Malibu, still humbly said, “It means the world to me.”
Another man having a meal said he was down on his luck and recently became homeless after four heart attacks and a broken relationship.
“It’s my first time here,” Basil Malone told The Malibu Times. “I worked for the railroad for 27 years. People look at us like we’re nothing. I say Grace and bless the people who prepared this meal. It’s nice to be important, but it’s important to be nice.”
Volunteers shared the same message.
“We want the homeless community to know that they are valued and they are members of our community here in Malibu,” Volunteer Lisa Cislo offered. “We want to give them a nice meal and let them know there are people here who care about them.
“We want to bring them dignity and hope. It’s not just a one-off evening. We want them to come back — to reach out to us when they need help.”
Another Thanksgiving dinner for those in need is happening on Thanksgiving Day at Malibu United Methodist Church. This is the 20th year the church has held the meal, partnering with the Malibu Jewish Center and Synagogue. The feast is expected to draw nearly 350 people. Hot food can be donated by 10 a.m. Thanksgiving morning at 30128 Morning View Drive. Toiletries and clothing can be dropped off Wednesday or Thursday. A bus will provide transportation from the Malibu Labor Exchange to the church between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Thankful for his dinner Thursday night, attendee Joseph William Purcell III said, “This is the result of love.”
For more information, go to standingonstone.com or malibupres.org.