The 25th Project, like other area nonprofits, is not abandoning its mission due to the coronavirus pandemic; instead, it’s adapting in order to fulfill it.
鈥淲e鈥檙e still serving 鈥� we鈥檝e got our mission and that鈥檚 to help the homeless close to home,鈥� Jay Herriott, founder of The 25th Project, told 草莓传媒.
鈥淲e鈥檙e looking to feed about a thousand people on Thanksgiving Day.”
That鈥檚 in addition to the propane drive they鈥檒l hold on the 25th. They have a special event to help the homeless on the 25th of each month.
This mission, and the organization鈥檚 name, stems from two different years: 2002 when Herriott and his daughters gave out meals to folks who lived under some of D.C.鈥檚 bridges; and聽 2010, when Thanksgiving was on Nov. 25 and aligned with the unmoving date of Christmas one month later.
鈥淲e鈥檙e doing a propane drive on the 25th,鈥� Herriott said.
On Nov. 26, they鈥檒l have a crew in place at Burke Community Church to prep the meals for distribution.
Herriott said they will follow and enforce Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to prevent spread of COVID-19, and are revamping how they run their operation — including a restriction on the number of people who can work in the kitchen and the age of volunteers.
In the past, the meal prep, plating and distribution to delivery teams was a bustling affair, with folks of all ages involved in the process.
鈥淭ypically, we have children that are taking the food plates and running them over to the distribution, but the plates can鈥檛 be handled by more than, like, two people. So 鈥� we鈥檝e got to change our structure as far as what we do on Thanksgiving,鈥� Herriott said.
This year, all volunteers must be 12 years of age or older.
Herriott also said there鈥檚 a standard operating procedure for all volunteers.
鈥淭hey鈥檒l have a temperature check [each] day, wearing gloves [and] having a mask on. And they have to sign up prior to on our SignUpGenius to make sure that they know all the protocols.鈥�
If, for example, a volunteer鈥檚 temperature is too high, they鈥檒l already be aware that they鈥檒l have to be turned away.
鈥淭hat, to my soul, bothers me to turn someone away from serving. But we have to operate within the CDC regulations and what鈥檚 best for everybody that鈥檚 helping, what鈥檚 best for Burke Community Church, and what鈥檚 best for The 25th Project.”
In order to meet this year鈥檚 goal of 1,000 meals, Herriott said they still need 鈥減eople to deliver 鈥攁nd food.鈥�
They鈥檙e looking for the types of food donations they usually receive each year like 鈥渢he turkeys, the hams, the mashed potatoes,鈥� and are looking for volunteer teams to deliver food to three shelters. The main difference is, this year, they won鈥檛 serve the residents.
Email coordinator@t25p.org with any questions about the organization鈥檚 Thanksgiving meals. They鈥檒l also have a similar meal giveaway on Christmas Day.
贬别谤别鈥檚 to cook, prepare and distribute Thanksgiving meals this year.
