OKC Restaurants Join Together To Cook Thanksgiving Meal For The Homeless

Several Oklahoma City restaurants joined together to whip up a gourmet Thanksgiving meal for the homeless community.

The public donated more than 100 turkeys and the chefs cooked for 24 hours straight preparing a meal for 500 people at the Day Shelter.

“That is so gracious of them, I appreciate them doing that,” said D’Juna Hopkins, a client at the Day Shelter.

Volunteers and employees from Coach House, Paseo Grill, Stella Italian Cuisine, Aunt Pittypat's Catering and Hal Smith Restaurant Group teamed up to make it happen.

“I appreciate them putting all their time and effort into it and making sure that each and every one of us got a decent meal and that we leave here full,” Hopkins told News 9.

Clayton Bahr organized the whole thing.

“The last 24 hours I've been cooking turkeys like crazy,” Bahr said.

Bahr started the effort because the shelter was having to cook the turkeys and side dishes days in advance, then freeze them and thaw them back out so their daily meal duties of feeding 300 people all three meals would not be interrupted.

Bahr managed to cook 100 turkeys in 24 hours. The Culinary Kitchen store has turbo ovens they allowed the volunteers to use. The ovens cook a turkey in 45 minutes.

“When they get to this line, they are better than anything your mom ever made,” Bahr explained.

On any given night in Oklahoma City, 1,300 people experience homelessness.

The volunteers just hope the ones enjoying the meal feel some dignity.

“Just think everybody deserves to have a good meal, they deserve to be treated like humans,” Bahr said.

Hopkins was moved to tears over the kind gesture.

“I just wish that nobody be in my shoes and I appreciate someone opening up their heart and doing this for us,” she said.