For the Americans still displaced by this summer’s string of devastating hurricanes, Thanksgiving can be both a reminder of things lost and of a community gained.
It’s been months since hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria roared through the Atlantic and devastated parts of Texas, Florida, Puerto Rico and other areas of the Caribbean, but tens of thousands of those affected have still not been able to return to their homes. So volunteers, chefs, business owners and good Samaritans are ensuring they still have a place to celebrate the holiday.
Houston’s Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, the Gallery Furniture owner who opened up his Houston-area stores to those displaced by Harvey, hosted a free Thanksgiving meal on Thursday funded entirely out of his own pocket.
His guests include some of the more than 47,000 Harvey victims who are still living in hotels paid for by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but McIngvale said Wednesday on “Good Morning America” that he’s invited more than 6,000 foster kids and that the “only requirement to come in is you’ve got to have a good appetite.”
The hometown hero expects around 15,000 to 20,000 guests and has prepared nearly 100,000 pounds of food with a crew of volunteers.
Serving up another massive Thanksgiving meal was celebrity chef José Andrés, whose charitable organization World Central Kitchen has served more than 2.3 million meals in Puerto Rico since the U.S. territory was battered by Maria in September.
Andrés said he and volunteers are serving around 40,000 meals on Thanksgiving to anyone in need on the island, where around half its 3.5 million residents are still without electricity and more than 1,300 people are still living in shelters.
“You want to make gravy? Come to Puerto Rico!” Andrés said in a video asking for volunteers on Thursday.
Overall, the Michelin-starred chef’s organization has provided more freshly cooked meals to the island since the storm hit than any other single agency, including the Red Cross and the Salvation Army, The New York Times reported.
Others celebrated their first Thanksgiving in a new home with a little help from their neighbors. In Florida, Miami-Dade Schools Police Chief Ian Moffett delivered a Thanksgiving meal to a single dad who had relocated to Miami with his children after Hurricane Irma destroyed his home in Puerto Rico.
Houston Chronicle reporter Mike Hixenbaugh tweeted an early Thanksgiving photo over the weekend, showing his family sharing a meal with a couple who had moved into their guest suite after losing their home in Hurricane Harvey.
“I suspect many, many people share similar stories,” he said of celebrating the holiday with those with those displaced by the storm.
“I wish their house hadn’t flooded, but I’m thankful Harvey brought them into our lives,” he added.
A Houston-area hotel also planned a Thanksgiving feast for the 18 Harvey-affected families who are still living there.
“Even though we’ve grown to be a town of more than 100,000 people, I still know a lot of people here, and this town has supported me,” Manhar Das, the general manager of the Best Western Inn in Pearland, told the Dallas Morning News. “And if I can support the people, I’m just doing my part.”
At one point, more than 40 families affected by Harvey were living in Das’ hotel.
“They’re my hotel family,” SanJuanita Garza, who’s been sheltering at the hotel with four family members, told the outlet. “I’m going to keep them forever.”
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.