The Love Thy Neighbor community Thanksgiving dinner is back, and the nonprofit organizing it is expecting even more people this year.
“We have a good amount of food coming in,” said Perla Sanchez, founder of Chancez. The newly minted nonprofit hosts the dinner with its community partners. “A good amount of businesses are helping. We are incredibly grateful,” she said.
Dinner is being served from 5 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 26, at La Quebrada Banquets, 50 N. Spring Street, Elgin.
Over the last couple of years, 300 people have come to the dinner, Sanchez said. “We usually try to prepare food for a little more than that. This year, I’m going for double.”
Chancez has gotten enough food for 600 people, Sanchez said. “I know there’s so much need” this year, she said.
“God knows the need. God knows exactly how many people will walk through,” she said. Chancez will have an immense amount of food, enough to feed everyone, she said.
It’s a traditional menu of turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and corn from Food for Friends. Sanchez said there was a small selection of Mexican food last year that was popular, so this year, there’ll be more choices.
“We have a ‘taquero’ who’ll have three tacos per person for at least 200 people,” Sanchez said.
And there’s dessert, including Eli’s Cheesecake.
A DJ will be offering entertainment, a photo booth, and fun for everyone, Sanchez said.
“It’s a really beautiful thing to see our community come together,” Sanchez said.
The donations have poured into Chancez even though many businesses are also struggling. She met with one restaurant owner about donating. The woman said it has been a tough year. Sanchez said she understood and told the woman not to worry.
“She cut me off immediately. She said, ‘No, I need to help,’” Sanchez said. “It was just amazing.”
This year, Chancez became incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization. The designation is helping open a few more doors and encouraging more businesses to donate than before, Sanchez said.
As a nonprofit, Chancez was approved to participate in Toys for Tots. Sanchez said families will be able to sign up for Toys for Tots at the Thanksgiving dinner. A pickup date will be set up in December.
“I’m so excited. I’m a very faithful person. I was like, ‘Okay, Jesus. If you want this to happen, it will happen,” Sanchez said.
Anyone can come in and have dinner for free, Sanchez said.
“I feel like our goal is to create a space where the burdens of life feel a little lighter,” she said. People leave with a full plate and a full heart, Sanchez said. “We can really create these wonderful memories,” she said.
Guests attending the dinner come from different backgrounds, Sanchez said. There are people who are homeless, people who need companionship, and low-income families, she said.
“I think more people are bordering on homelessness” in this environment,” Sanchez said. “It’s really important to help the people in this community now more than ever,” she said.
Sanchez has noticed that the dinner helps provide a way for people to serve and form connections with others.
“The volunteers genuinely want to lift each other up, they want to give love, and they want to serve,” Sanchez said. “We are providing the opportunity for people to serve.”
Sanchez said Chancez has all the food covered, but could use more volunteers.
Anyone interested in volunteering or donating can find information on its GoFundMe page by searching under Chancez NFP.
While Sanchez is busy planning Thanksgiving dinner, she’s also looking ahead to next year. Chancez has been expanding and hosts other events throughout the year.
In January, a dinner is being planned with a company that wants to host an event quarterly, Sanchez said.
Love Thy Neighbor also has a Valentine’s Day dinner for the homeless.
“As soon as the holidays are over, people go back to their lives, and I think it’s definitely important to do this as often as needed,” Sanchez said.
