Free Thanksgiving Banquet Serving Meals At Sarasota Park

SARASOTA, FL — A free Thanksgiving feast is being served to the community at a Sarasota park Sunday evening by the Leaders Rights Organization, founded by Alaina Martinez.

Plates will be handed out at Fredd Atkins Park, 2431 Washington Court, starting at 6 p.m.

Martinez told Patch that she hopes to serve as many as 500 plates on Sunday for the sixth annual event.

“Our meals are cooked and made with love,” she said. “It’s the equivalent of sitting with us at our table.”

Hygiene bags will also be available to attendees.

This year’s Thanksgiving banquet nearly didn’t happen.

Martinez was in two crashes earlier this month, including getting side swiped by a semi-truck, and donations for the event have been slow.

“I need the community to know that in order for events like this to take place, especially this being grassroots, people need to support it,” she said.

She’s hopeful that the community increases its support of the Thanksgiving meal and other events, and hopes to revive the weekly meals if they do.

“At this point, we’re unable to meet that need,” Martinez said. “The food banks are open, but those are running scarce too.”