Holiday season kicks off with annual event

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and In the spirit of the holiday, people in Austin are doing what they can to give back.

H-E-B is hosted its 23rd Annual Austin Feast of Sharing dinner Tuesday at the Palmer Event Center. Each year volunteers join H-E-B in putting on the Thanksgiving feast -- to the tune of a grand scale.

This year, 1,000 volunteers are serving 14,000 meals, all of which are free.

"We came out  at about 10 a.m. setting up everything and making sure everything is ready for everyone," says Cat Doung, one of the volunteers.

Decorations, place settings,  tables and chairs all were in order by Tuesday afternoon.

"I like it," says Hugo Carbajal, "They feed you good, they treat you good."
    
Carbajal was in line 1 p.m. Tuesday. He and others were anxiously awaiting the thousands of pounds of turkey, just as many gallons of mashed potatoes and veggies, gravy and pies.
    
All around, community leaders are stepping up in big ways. St. David's Foundation awarded nearly half a million dollars to various agencies in Austin.

"St, David's was kind enough to provide us $56,000," says Dan Pruett, CEO of Meals on Wheels and More in Austin.
    
The funding helps fill budget gaps following cuts from United Way over the summer.

"Many of the meals that we couldn't provide because of a loss of funding, we now can provide," Pruett says.
    
The work of agencies like Meals on Wheels and events like the Feast of Sharing remind us what the holiday season is all about.

"The day for us to give back to the community, to say, 'Hey, let's get all your family and friends together and let's just hang out for the day,'" says Doung.

The Feast of Sharing dinner was from 4-8 p.m. Tuesday.

Meals on Wheels and More will deliver 500 meals around Austin on Thanksgiving Day.