Las Vegas nonprofit, volunteers race to distribute 2,000 holiday meals
Before the volunteers began preparing the 2,000 holiday dinners, Meli Pulido climbed atop a ladder in the corner to offer a few encouraging words.
“This is your means of giving from the bottom of your heart, and that’s what we all have in common,” she said. “Let’s keep serving those students who totally deserve our help. They’re hungry, they’re cold, they’re not dressed the same as their classmates, and they deserve a holiday meal.”
The Las Vegas-based nonprofit Project 150 had spent a week preparing the Thanksgiving meals, each of which serves a family of four. Its efforts will continue over the Christmas and Hanukkah seasons.
“We provide these meals so the students know that the community is thinking about them,” said Pulido, the nonprofit’s executive director. “Though it doesn’t change their challenges, there’s a high regard in giving them something they weren’t expecting to enjoy with their families.”
Project 150 was started in December 2011 by local businessmen Don Purdue and Patrick Spargur, who had heard that 150 homeless students at Rancho High School needed support over the holiday break.
By its third year, the organization was able to provide thousands of meals, and it now serves about 6,000 homeless, disadvantaged and displaced high school students year-round, providing school supplies, clothing and food assistance.
One by one Wednesday night, volunteers formed an assembly line, holding cardboard boxes as other volunteers placed a nearly 11-pound turkey breast, two cans of corn, two cans of green beans, a box of stuffing, a can of gravy and four brownies in each box.
James White, a Summerlin dentist, then inserted colored cards written by elementary school students.
“Be thankful for family,” one child had scrawled on a pink card with an artfully drawn picture of a heart and a flower.
“We just want to let someone know that there are people that do care,” White said as a box made its way down the conveyor belt, where it was taped shut and joined other boxes to be placed by forklift into one of five 53-foot-long trucks.
About 200 volunteers helped prepare and box the meals Wednesday; 50 more are expected Thursday to help deliver them to 59 Clark County high schools.
Donations for the the holiday meal program are being accepted through the end of the year. Gift cards to grocery stores are also being accepted.
Visit www.project150.org to donate or send a check to Project 150 at 3600 N. Rancho Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89130.
Contact Briana Erickson at berickson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-5244. Follow @brianarerick on Twitter.