Volunteers serve Thanksgiving meals

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - The fourth Thursday of November is set aside for Americans to give thanks for what they have. Some have plenty. Many don't.

For the 16th straight year, Mel Trotter Ministries is providing a complete Thanksgiving meal to more than 2100 people in the Grand Rapids area. The Great Thanksgiving Banquet is free and open to everyone at DeVos Place.

More than 700 volunteers help with the feast. The doors open at 10:30 a.m. with meals beginning at 11 a.m.

In Gobles, the Salt Ministry of Journey Family Church is serving a free Thanksgiving dinner from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Gobles High School Cafeteria.

The Kalamazoo Gospel Mission will serve a Thanksgiving meal at their headquarters between 3-6 p.m. In a statement, the mission's executive director Michael Brown said, "The reality is that we serve great meals every day of the year, but Thanksgiving is special. People are hurting and we want to let them know that the community cares."