Elton John Serves Nonprofit's 25 Millionth Meal to Midtown Man

A Midtown man got a special surprise when he opened his front door Friday night expecting his usual meal from local nonprofit Open Hand Atlanta.

Not only was Craig Gustafson pleasantly surprised that the delivery man had braved the ugly Midtown traffic to get the meal to him, he was beyond surprised that the delivery man was none other than Sir Elton John.

John, who calls Atlanta his “American home” and has volunteered with Open Hand Atlanta for decades, had the honor of delivering both the organizations 1 millionth and 25 millionth meals, WSB-TV reports. The legendary performer was scheduled to perform at the festival in Piedmont Park later that night, but still took some time to visit with Gustafson.

“We’re thankful for his continued support for the work we do, and we are deeply appreciative of the decades of commitment, love and support he has provided so many in the ongoing battle against HIV/AIDS,” Open Hand Atlanta said on its Facebook page Wednesday.

Open Hand Atlanta has dedicated itself to providing specially-tailored meals and nutritional information to a “diverse population of men, women and children with unique nutrition needs.” The nonprofit has been active in the community for over 27 years and relies on volunteers like John and countless others to help Atlantans who need it the most.