Officials, Volunteers Serve Up 24th Annual Goodwill Dinner

County officials and community leaders gathered Tuesday at the Bethesda- Chevy Chase Rescue Squad to serve up the 24th annual Goodwill dinner to those in need.

More than 400 guests, many of them homeless or low-income seniors and families, enjoyed a holiday feast, pictures with Santa and gifts courtesy of local businesses.

The community tradition was launched by the Bethesda Hyatt after a homeless person was found frozen to death one winter in the stairway of the hotel.

For nearly a quarter century, the tradition has carried on.

The event was organized by the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce, Hyatt Regency Bethesda, Bethesda Urban Partnership, the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Regional Services Center, Five Star Premier Residences Chevy Chase, NIH-NOAA Recreation and Welfare Association, Montgomery County second district police, Bethesda Fire, Bethesda Cares and the rescue squad.