St. Joseph Catholic Church in Crescent Springs will give away Thanksgiving meal kits at its free monthly community dinner on Sunday, Nov. 15.
The kits include donated turkeys and LaRosa's Buddy Cards, according to the Diocese of Covington. The dinner will feature a turkey meal, and the event is open to anyone.
The gathering is part of Breaking Bread, a monthly dinner series organized by three St. Joseph parishioners: Christie Pazia, Julane Becker and Tim McClanahan. The three approached pastor Father Eric Boelscher with the idea of giving back through shared meals. An anonymous donor stepped in to help fund the effort.
"It's so easy to lose track of who's in need right in your own backyard," Pazia said, according to the Diocese of Covington.
The dinners are held in the parish's Noll Hall and include seasonal family activities. Past events have featured a bounce house and pumpkin painting.
The events have grown each month.
Pazia said the dinners drew a wide range of people. She described a man from Madonna Manor, a senior living community in Villa Hills, who attends regularly because he wants someone to talk to. Children of parish volunteer families sit down and visit with him, she said.
The organizers' work with other parish programs, including Cavaliers Care and St. Vincent de Paul, showed them the need close to home. Families in the area rely on those programs for help with rent, groceries, baby formula and diapers, the Diocese reported.
Becker said the parish's recently renovated undercroft gave the group a place to host the dinners. The whole point of the renovation, she said, was to create a space where the parish could serve its community.
LaRosa's Buddy Cards cost $20 and offer nearly $200 in savings, according to LaRosa's.
The parish had not posted a start time or meal-kit signup details as of Nov. 5.
Upcoming community events:
- Sunday, Nov. 15: Breaking Bread Thanksgiving dinner, Noll Hall, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Crescent Springs. Free and open to all.
