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Once again, the Jessamine County Homeless Coalition (JCHC) will host its annual Thanksgiving dinner at the Jessamine County Public Library.

It is the third Thanksgiving dinner to be held at the library, free of charge and the dinner is Wednesday, November 22, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

According to its marketing and public relations coordinator, Emily Moon, the library’s role is hosting, supporting the volunteers, and decorating the library to give it the perfect cozy holiday atmosphere.

“We decided to host it again because it’s been so successful. We love the partnership that we have with (JCHC Director) Johnny, so this has been something that we’ve done for three years now, and with the addition of the Christmas dinner, it’s something that the community needs and takes part in, and that aligns with our mission. So we’re happy to host it,” said Moon.

Anyone who wanted a meal was welcome to walk right in and enjoy the typical Thanksgiving dinner with the works: Turkey, mashed potatoes, rolls, casseroles and pie.

In addition to being able to sit down and be served dinner by volunteers, the library’s drive-thru window was will be available for those who would rather take their dinners to go.

It is only the second time the event will use the drive-thru to serve some of the meals. Last Christmas was the first time JCHC director Johnny Templin made the option available. Templin said that with minimal advertising, 25 percent of the Christmas dinner meals were served through the drive-thru.

“I have six kids, so if they were having a bad night and there was that big dinner there, I wouldn’t have brought them out for nothing in the world to the community room to eat. So for families with multiple kids or individuals with health not consistent with being able to come into the building, it made us realize real quickly that there was a segment we might be missing,” Templin said.

And it was incredibly successful, Templin said. He also said it made it easier for the volunteers to run the room.

Templin said he plans to provide at least 750 meals thanks to donations from the community with some help from the Jessamine Fall Festival proceeds.

He also wants to highlight the Jessamine County Homeless Coalition’s, “Deepest appreciation to the individuals and the organizations that help make this possible. It couldn’t be done without the likes of the library and community members.”