The holidays can be a difficult time for some.
Many people living alone on the street were treated to a real Christmas dinner Monday, put on by a group of volunteers.
CityTeam in San Jose cooked up dozens of turkeys and hams, 100 pounds of potatoes, and much more -- all for one special Christmas meal.
“Today’s busy, but it’s also exciting because it’s Christmas,” said Chef Reynolds Stewart, who worked over the weekend preparing and cooking, and said it’s one of the best days of the year.
They’re hoping to serve 700 people Monday.
“All we want to do is love on them and give them that Christmas spirit,” he said.
The non-profit, CityTeam San Jose, houses about 70 formerly homeless people, and those recovering from addiction, and gives them supportive services.
Local
Some of them volunteered too.
Many of the diners Monday live on the streets around the 101 and 880 interchange.
Get a weekly recap of the latest San Francisco Bay Area housing news. Sign up for NBC Bay Area’s Housing Deconstructed newsletter.
Salvador Alvarado lives in his van.
“It’s not bad,” he said. “It’s a little cold at night but otherwise not too bad.”
He hopes to save enough money to fix up his car and maybe spend future holidays with his family a few hours north of the Bay Area.
But on Monday, he’s happy to spend it there.
“It’s nice, it’s nice,” said Alvarado. “There’s a lot of happy people and that’s good. There’s a gathering here. Trees and everyone saying ‘merry Christmas, merry Christmas’ it’s great,” said Alvarado.
“We want them to have a level of normalcy here in the dining room, and the only way that we can do that is with all the beautiful people you see here, they’re volunteers,” said Stewart. “They’re all volunteering their time to make sure the unhoused community is fed.”
Volunteers say it’s the best part of their Christmas serving and seeing the smiles.
“I walk out of here so motivated in life. Words are hard to express it, but it’s joyful.” said volunteer Tony Lopez.
Each person could go back for as much as they wanted. So they could leave with their stomachs – and hearts – full.
“I pray that God blesses everybody else too and have a merry Christmas and a happy new year that’s coming,” said Alvarado.
