Many central Wisconsin residents will gather Nov. 27 to celebrate Thanksgiving with food and fun. People who may not be able to afford a full Thanksgiving meal for their family will find many area organizations willing to help fill a gap.
Here’s where you can find free Thanksgiving meals in the Wisconsin Rapids area. Please reach out to Erik Pfantz at epfantz@gannett.com if your organization offers free Thanksgiving meals, and we will add it to this list.
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, 311 14th Ave. S., Wisconsin Rapids
Thanksgiving meals are available for takeout or delivery between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Nov. 27 for those in need. Reservations must be made by calling 877-947-2211 or 211 between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Nov. 10-18. Donations of volunteer labor and cookies or dessert bars made with no nuts are accepted by the church. Cookies or dessert bars can be delivered to the cafeteria on Wednesday, Nov. 26. More information can be found in St. Paul Lutheran Church’s November newsletter available in the church’s website, stpaulswr.org.
Wisconsin Rapids Elks Club 693, 430 W. Jackson St., Wisconsin Rapids
The Wisconsin Rapids Elks Club 693 will offer a prepared Thanksgiving meal from 5-7 p.m. Nov. 24 to any residents of the Wisconsin Rapids area. The organization announced early in November they had reached their fundraising goal for the event. Donations for future events will be accepted. More information can be found on the Elks Club 693 website.
Slice of Heaven Bakery, 1158 Snow Pass, Rome
Slice of Heaven Bakery will offer a free Thanksgiving Meal from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Nov. 27 available to anyone for either dine-in or to-go. Deliveries may also be arranged by messaging the bakery’s Facebook page.
Edge VR Arcade Wisconsin Rapids, 3540 Plover Road, Wisconsin Rapids
Edge VR Arcade Wisconsin Rapids is collecting donations before Nov. 15 to provide a complete Thanksgiving dinner to local families in need that they can cook at their home. More than 60 families have registered so far. Each meal costs about $30. For each $30 in donations received, the company is offering a $20 gift card for its services. More information can be found on the company’s Facebook page, Edge VR Arcade W.R., by calling 715-451-6891 or emailing Edgevrarcadewr@gmail.com.
Crossroads Church, 5467 First Ave., Pittsville
A Thanksgiving meal is available for dine-in, take-out or delivery to those in need between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Nov. 27. Delivery to areas around Pittsville, Vesper and Arpin must be scheduled by Nov. 24 by contacting the church at 715-884-2665 or office@crossroads-pittsville.com. More information can be found on the 211 Wisconsin listing for the event.
Erik Pfantz covers local government and education in central Wisconsin for USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin and values his background as a rural Wisconsinite. Contact him at epfantz@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune: Here’s where you can find a free Thanksgiving meal in the Wisconsin Rapids area
Reporting by Erik Pfantz, Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune / Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune
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