University of North Texas at Dallas

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UNT Dallas students serve, learn at ‘Feast of Sharing’

The Central Market H-E-B third annual Feast of Sharing at Fair Park in Dallas ran out of turkey dinners about 45 minutes before the Thanksgiving celebration was scheduled to end Nov. 10, but that was after 8,500 dinners had been served to guests the previous six hours.

The grocery chain began hosting the dinners in Laredo and Corpus Christi in 1988. This year,     H-E-B expects to serve holiday meals with all the trimmings to more than 250,000 people in 30 Texas and Mexico communities, according to Michelle Owens, manager of community relations for Central Market.

“There were 1,000 volunteers. We couldn’t do it without them,” Owens said. “They are the heart and soul of the dinner because we don’t want to serve the food buffet style. It’s very important to us to serve the meals.”

For 34 University of North Texas at Dallas students and their professors who spent several hours serving at the event, it was a tiring but eye-opening experience.

“It is hard work, but it’s rewarding. It makes me feel good,” said Dawn Smith, a junior from Red Oak, Texas.

Kirby Tate, a junior from Tyler, Texas, spent the past five years serving in the U.S. military. “We did events like this helping people in need,” he said. “It feels good to volunteer. It feels good to help people, because sometime, you might need somebody to help you.”

Fair Park’s Centennial Building looked more like a disaster relief site than an exhibit area at the state fairgrounds as hundreds stood in line to get in the building. Once inside, the line weaved through a dozen social service organization displays. Even free health screenings were offered. Then the guests were escorted into the warehouse-looking room to one of hundreds of decorated tables.

In addition to the food, singers and musicians entertained. Children could play in the kid’s zone, and a Blue Bell truck served ice cream. 

“This year there were a lot of families,” said UNT Dallas Lecturer of Gerontology Maudia Gentry. One of her students told Gentry that she had met several families that were living in their cars and struggling to get their kids to school. Another student told Gentry that she was “a little unnerved” by the people she encountered who seemed to suffer from mental illness.

Central Market and H-E-B spread the word about the dinner to Dallas-area shelters inviting low-income and homeless people. Senior citizens were allowed to enter first to receive a hot meal starting at 1:30 p.m. Dinner was scheduled to be served until 8 p.m. before the turkey ran out.

Esbeide Silva, a UNT Dallas senior from Mexico, works at the nearby Martin Luther King Day Care Center as a parent educator in the Born Learning Parents as Teachers early childhood intervention program. She expressed surprise at the diversity of the people coming to be served and at the impressive number and diversity of the people coming to serve.

“We see people of all different walks of life. Sometimes you think it’s a specific population, but it’s all of us. We all could be in need. So many volunteers are waiting to help; they’re genuinely wanting to help, and I see smiles on their faces,” Silva said.

Denise Brookins, a senior from Garland, said she planned to bring her son to help serve but that he had a test and couldn’t make it. She said they hope to make it an annual project.

“I wanted to experience helping out those that are less fortunate than myself. It’s more than class, it’s a great experience. It makes me feel good that God has blessed me so that I can help someone else. It’s a great feeling.”

Gentry challenges her students to help at community events to expose them to the people they talk about in class. While her students have service-learning project requirements for class, every one of them said they were excited to serve at the Feast of Sharing.

“We’re actually taking the theory and putting it into practice from the classroom to the community. What I really want them to do is have this connection to the community, to know how important it is to work on the frontlines in the field.

“The students were tired; their feet were hurting, but it’s an experience that they will never forget,” Gentry added.

As did many other volunteers, Roderick Goudy, a senior from Hattiesburg, Miss., said he loved giving back to the community and helping those who are less fortunate.

“The diversity of people that are working together is great; it’s wonderful. I think it’s America right here. What I’m learning is seeing how all the different departments are working together to serve the community. It seems like it’s a well-oiled machine. It’s impressive and makes me want to learn even more about it.”

 

For More Information:
David Porter
Associate Director of Marketing, News and Information
(972) 780-3663
David.Porter@unt.edu