Faith Mission preparing for Thanksgiving meal

WICHITA FALLS, Texas (KAUZ) - Faith Mission’s Thanksgiving meal is a staple for its clients. It’s a day where the cooks, operations departments, and volunteers come together to feed those in need.

“Being homeless is a very traumatic experience,” said Steve Sparks, CEO of Faith Mission.

An experience Steve Sparks wants his clients to forget on Thanksgiving Day.

“And then being reminded of the fact that you’re separated from your family that you don’t have a place to call your own, and all the joy that goes with that is just taken away from them,” said Sparks.

Faith Mission is preparing for one of its most important times of the year.

“Green beans, stuffing, rolls, desserts pies, and cakes, whatever people may donate in the community,” said Dwain Arias, Kitchen Manager for Faith Mission.

Staff members will start cooking at 5:30 am. They plan on preparing ten turkeys the day before. This can’t happen without the volunteers.

“We have volunteers coming in for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The clients normally come in just for the meal so they can come in and eat and enjoy their time here,” said Brad Prickett, Chief Development Director for Faith Mission.

It’s a yearly commitment they’ve made for over 60 years.

“We want to be that place where they can come here for safety and also realize that somebody does care for them,” said Arias.

“But we do try to provide a family atmosphere here. We do try to provide spiritual support for them during that time, and then you know the physical things too,” said Sparks.

Arias considers this day special because of a few friendly neighbors giving them a hand.

“Everybody from the community comes in and puts their hands to this place because they know the importance of it,” said Arias.

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