‘It’s a community effort:’ Las Vegas businesses, nonprofit feed people in need for Thanksgiving

The day before Thanksgiving, Cielo Steward said that she was grateful for sobriety.

Steward, 39, waited in line Wednesday morning for a potluck meal at the Vegas Stronger headquarters. The nonprofit, located at 916 North Main Street, helps people get off the streets and become substance-free. Right before the food service, a staff member at the organization told Steward that, according to her last drug test, she was officially clean.

“It feels amazing to have and be in this type of environment,”Steward said. “This is family.”

Moments prior, Vegas Stronger CEO Dave Marlon prayed over the food, thanking God for his own sobriety and for the people the organization serves. He said he wanted to make sure “nobody in our city goes hungry.”

Steward, who said she did not have plans for Thanksgiving Day, also left with a frozen meal of slow-roasted turkey breast, stuffing, sweet potatoes, and green beans.

E.A.T. Meals LLC, a Las Vegas-based pre-packaged meal service, donated 2,000 ready-to-eat dishes to help people in need, especially those unable to prepare a Thanksgiving meal. Around 100 people, mostly clients of Vegas Stronger, gathered inside the building for the luncheon, while dozens more lined up near a truck distributing frozen meals in the parking lot.

“It’s an unusual approach to food aid,” said Lisa Mayo-DeRiso, a spokesperson for Vegas Stronger. “We’re hoping this can be a new way to provide meals to seniors who want to eat in the comfort of their own homes or to a homeless teenager who only has access to a 7-Eleven microwave. Everyone deserves a warm meal.”

Paul Lagudi, who founded E.A.T., also supplies ingredients and fresh produce to several Strip resort restaurants through his business, Lagudi Fresh Food Group. When Lagudi moved to Las Vegas 25 years ago from Australia, his first warehouse was on Foremaster Lane, where he said he saw a lot of people struggling with homelessness.

“For me, it’s about remembering where you come from,” Lagudi said. “There is no better time to give back than Thanksgiving, and now I’ve got a product that is easy for people to grab, microwave, and enjoy.”

E.A.T.’s Thanksgiving meal, which was released online three months ago, retails for about $14.99 for those without a subscription to the food service.

Henderson Councilwoman Carrie Cox, amidst ongoing legal and political controversy, also attended the food distribution event. She told a reporter that despite the allegations against her, she would “not stop being a public servant.”

“It’s not about me, it’s about helping others,” Cox said. “When a local company steps forward and does something to this magnitude, giving 2000 meals to the homeless and those in need during this critical time, it’s incredible.”

‘A community effort’

Also on Main Street, just two miles south, businesses in the Downtown Arts District collected donations to support local families and homeless people during the holiday season.

Jocelyn Porier, owner of Honeypot, a store that sells gemstones and other spiritual products and tools, asked patrons to bring blankets, coats, and hygiene items in exchange for 25 percent off any purchase. The donated goods will be distributed during the Honeypot’s annual Thanksgiving Day dinner service, which she and her brother host under a tent outside the shop.

Porier, 35, also raised about $1,500 on GoFundMe to cover the cost of ingredients needed to cook the meal. On Wednesday morning, she headed to the grocery store, ready to spend the rest of the day cooking chicken, mashed potatoes, and vegetable casseroles for about 200 homeless people who frequent Downtown.

“It’s a community effort,” Porier said, adding that many of the people she would serve on Thanksgiving would hear about the dinner by word of mouth. Last year, she said, they ran out of food.

“You have to treat people with compassion, and I feel like Vegas is one of those cities where the homeless are often forgotten,” Porier added.

Several stores down on Main, Bring It Back — which sells limited-edition sneakers, streetwear, and designer accessories — also held a holiday donation drive. The day before Thanksgiving, large cardboard boxes filled with canned goods, bread mixes, and ramen noodles sat near the store’s entrance.

For each item donated, donors received a raffle ticket for $1,250 in-store credit. Bring it Back has been hosting the drive for six years now, according to sales associate Lucas Osuna. On Thanksgiving Day, staff bring all the donations to the Las Vegas Rescue Mission. The nonprofit and homeless shelter held its annual Thanksgiving dinner at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, welcoming anyone in need to a free, warm meal.

Osuna, 27, said it was fulfilling to see regular customers get excited about a good cause.

Store owner Yovani Barrera, also 27, agreed. Aside from the canned food drive, Barrera also distributed groceries to 25 families in need earlier this week.

“When we first opened in 2017, a thousand dollars could make or break us,” Barrera said. “We’re just grateful to be at the point where we can give back and invest in the community.”

Contact Akiya Dillon at adillon@reviewjournal.com.