Local Topeka Restaurant gives out 100 free meals for Thanksgiving

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - The Nauling’s Texas and BBQ and Soul Food restaurant prepared a hundred meals to make sure those in need have a homecooked dinner this thanksgiving.

“We have been looking for a way to give back, and Topeka since we’ve opened has been great to us, so we wanted to do something to show our love back. Through questions and talking to different customers that come in, they reached out and helped us connect with the Topeka Rescue Mission and it was game on from there,” Owner, Rod Nauling says.

The restaurant says they specifically wanted to focus on dinner since most organizations typically give out breakfast and lunch.

“We looked at it as we had our dinner and we want seconds and there are other organizations that have probably given out earlier in the day and we wanted them to have an opportunity and another chance to eat again,” says Owner, Kim Nauling.

Members at the Topeka Rescue Mission handed out invitations ahead of Thanksgiving Day, inviting those at homeless campsites to pick up the free meal.

“It’s hard to put a price tag on something like that. It’s incredible and I’m blessed all over the place and it’s really amazing that the mission and that the outreach goes as far as they do to have a place like this for us to come or people to come on Thanksgiving. I think it’s a sign of the times that maybe things can get better,” says Topeka resident, Clint Hubbard.

TRM provided transportation to and from the restaurant.

“It’s amazing. God bless these people for doing that. Without TRM ministries I don’t know where we would be today and you know these people...I mean Texas BBQ come on!,” says Topeka resident, Christi Redman.

The rescue mission says acts of kindness like this are always needed in the community.

“People who are experiencing homelessness just feel unseen and that they don’t have a voice and that no one cares and that they might not be worthy of people caring, and when something like this happens it just tells them they’re not alone,” says Miriam Krebiel, Deputy Director of Supportive Services, at TRM.

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