CEDAR SPRINGS, Mich. — The City Impact Community Center in Cedar Springs hosted its annual Friendsgiving dinner on Thanksgiving Day, offering a gathering place for community members to come together and celebrate.
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The nonprofit organization has been hosting the dinner for five years, ensuring no one spends the holiday alone.
"We feel that nobody should be alone ever. So, once you've been here, you're a friend, you can come back in six months, and you're still a friend. So, we're always welcoming," said Flossie Jones, a City Impact volunteer.
City Impact was founded 10 years ago by Jonathan and Kelley Vergsma. The organization began with a small group of community members dedicated to addressing local needs.
"We started with a group of people in this community back in 2015, and just wanted to help, just meet needs. And as people banded together and started doing that, it grew, and now here it is today," said Jonathan Vergsma, City Impact's director.
The Friendsgiving dinner is made possible through donations and volunteers. The meal included smoked turkey and other traditional Thanksgiving dishes.
"I think people who don't have family to go to just really want to be welcomed somewhere, and so this is a joy to be able to serve the community and share a meal together," Vergsma said.
Community members who attended the dinner expressed appreciation for the gathering.
"I think it's really wonderful. Actually, they've been a really supportive community here since we moved here a while ago, and it's nice not to feel like you're home alone," said one attendee.
City Impact believes in the importance of neighbors caring for each other and aims to serve the Cedar Springs community.
"That is our goal here, to create that family atmosphere, and it's just been a hit year after year," Vergsma said.
More information about City Impact Community Center and its programs, CLICK HERE.
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