CATALINA FOOTHILLS, Ariz. (KGUN) — Thanksgiving Thursday kicked off St. Philip's In The Hills Episcopal Church's annual feast.
Both churchgoers and community members were welcome to get their fill on holiday favorites.
Attendees enjoyed turkey, mashed potatoes, green bean casserole and more. For dessert: pumpkin and apple pies.
This year, all the food was cooked by volunteers, rather than the usual catered spread.
Church deacon Susan Erickson says attendees are encouraged to make a small donation — $15 per person and no more than $45 for a family of three or larger — to help cover the cost of the dishes, and for those who can’t afford their own meal.
“I think we’re supposed to model Jesus’ love, and we do that by loving one another," she said. "And to me, one of the best ways to express your love is to feed other people.”
In the past, most non-parishioners invited were family and friends of church members, snowbirds and university students.
But this time, they made an extra effort to broaden the outreach.
“I think we really want to reach out into the neighborhood just beyond our gates. And so, that’s our goal this year and going forward.”
Erickson said if the community wasn't able to make it to the feast and still wants to find a way to give back, the church is accepting donations that will be used to fund monthly meals going to Primavera Foundation - Men's Shelter.
Mikenzie Hammel joined the KGUN 9 team as a multimedia journalist in the summer of 2023. She graduated from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism with her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. With her passion for human connection and visual storytelling, Mikenzie is honored to share the stories of Tucson and southeastern Arizona. Share your story ideas and important issues with Mikenzie by emailing mikenzie.hammel@kgun9.com.
