DETROIT (WXYZ) — The Detroit Lions were working hard — off the field this time — to make sure people in need have a warm Thanksgiving dinner to share with their families.
Many of the players expressed their gratitude to the community for welcoming them to Detroit, a new city from where they grew up, and always supporting them despite their record on the field.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to grow up with food always on the table, so I don’t know what it’s like to not have that. And so to come here and give them that, I think it’s huge," offensive lineman Colby Sorsdale said.
The Lions doubled their numbers from last year by packing up roughly 5,000 meals, estimated to serve 158,000 food insecure people across metro Detroit. They teamed up with Meijer and Gleaners Community Food Bank.
“That’s what food insecurity is is not knowing where that meal is going to come from," said Angela Halverson, director of Community Giving at Gleaners. "It’s going to give them the ability to sit around a table and share a meal together.”
Packing up meals to give families on Thanksgiving has become somewhat of a tradition for the team. Many of the players expressed their gratitude for their community, saying this food packing is just one small way they can give back to those who have supported them no matter what.