A family legacy has kept bellies full and hearts warm for nearly 50 years in Edmonton.
The No One Eats Alone dinner is a family tradition that was passed down to Jack Shultz by his grandmother. She had been hosting the dinner for almost 40 years before passing away from cancer in 2010.
“My grandma was just old fashioned. It didn’t matter if you were on the good side of the law, bad side of the law, good person, bad person,” said Shultz. “If you didn’t have a place to go for Christmas dinner, she always had one for you and that’s the way she raised me.”
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Shultz said the dinner has grown from 13 people the first year he hosted in 2010 to serving about 90 people this year. With the help of the City of Edmonton, it has moved from his home and into the Rosslyn Community Hall.
“We have people that are actually homeless, that do live on the streets that are here tonight. It’s all walks of life,” Shultz said.
“If you don’t have a place to go for Christmas and to eat with somebody, don’t eat alone. We always have a plate and that’s what this is about.”
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In addition to a warm meal and good company, kids at the event take home a gift and have a chance to take a photo with Santa.
The dinner is free, and Shutlz asks that people who are inspired by this story make donations to the Hearts Free Thrift Centre.