Families Prepared, Delivered Hot Meals to Police Officers, Firefighters Working Thanksgiving

Thanks to Channah Appel, who coordinated this program, for providing much of the information below. Some information below was also included in an article published in 2011.

While many enjoyed a Thanksgiving meal with their families this past Thursday, some local police officers and firefighters were working.

Channah Appel started a program last year to thank them for their service and make sure they could celebrate the holiday, too.

For the second year, she rounded up families from Aish HaTorah, an international organization based in Jerusalem and an adult and family Jewish Education program, and asked them to help prepare traditional Thanksgiving dishes and deliver them to the Cleveland Heights Police Department and the Beachwood and University Heights fire departments.

This year, 40 high school students from the Aish Scholars program chopped and prepared meals for more than 60 people at school the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The group visited and delivered food to the police and fire departments and more than 30 people who were referred to Aish through the Bikur Cholim organization, which helps families with ill individuals in the Jewish community.

With the goal of putting the "thanks" back into Thanksgiving, volunteers went to thank our firefighters and police departments with a great turkey and stuffing meal — complete with side dishes and pumpkin pie.

Sponsors this year were Giant Eagle, Heinen's and Blum's paper goods. Browse photos from the event included with this article.