‘Feeling very grateful’: Hundreds gather to share Thanksgiving dinner at Salvation Army

Volunteer Saran Singh, 16, prepares a Thanksgiving plate at the Salvation Army Freedom Center in Humboldt Park. Turkey and sides were served to 700 guests in the first in-house gathering since before the pandemic. (Pat Nabong/Sun-Times)

Hundreds gathered for a free Thanksgiving meal on Thursday morning at the Salvation Army Freedom Center in Humboldt Park.

The sit-down meal, which was open to anyone, was the first one the Salvation Army has been able to host in-house since before the start of the pandemic. For the last three years, the organization has only been able to hand out to-go Thanksgiving dinners.