For the 13th year, Golden Steer owners Jim and Suzanne Berrios are keeping their restaurant open on Thanksgiving Day to offer a free feast to those in need.
The guests for the free dinner are those who receive vouchers from the Kent Food Bank or their church, as well as from family advocates in the Kent School District. The meal is served in the restaurant’s banquet room, which Suzanne spends time decorating beforehand, with white linen table cloths, cloth napkins and traditional holiday centerpieces.
“We feel we are blessed so we want to be a blessing to others,” Jim said. “Doing this dinner is a tradition in our family now and we love to spend it with others.”
The family closes down the front of the restaurant at 1:30 p.m. and re-opens the back room at 2 p.m. to serve the meal. They anticipate at least 400 people showing up to eat.
“We had more than expected last year and it was great,” Jim said. “This is exactly what Thanksgiving is all about; family and community.”
The crowd is a mix of homeless people, working families and senior citizens. The food is served buffet-style by a group of volunteers, all dressed in white shirts and black pants, and then the meal is eaten family style, with everyone around one (extended) table, instead of heading back to their own booths.
To receive a voucher for Thanksgiving dinner at the Golden Steer, visit the Kent Food Bank, 515 W. Harrison St., Suite 107. Their hours are 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
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