Semper Giving provides 500 Thanksgiving meals for families in need

November 19, 2024 Last Updated: November 19, 2024 10:50 PM Local News

Ethan Losier, second from right, works on the assembly line with other volunteers from Semper Gratus, Walmart, UPMC and the Pittsburgh Penguins to help fill more than 500 boxes with Thanksgiving meals at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

CRANBERRY TWP — Dozens of volunteers unified in the spirit of giving filled the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex on Tuesday evening, Nov. 19, to pack meals for people less fortunate throughout Western Pennsylvania.

Semper Gratus, a Pittsburgh-based nonprofit, teamed up with UPMC, the Pittsburgh Penguins and several other organizations to fill up 500 nonperishable Thanksgiving meal boxes, enough to feed 2,000 people over the holiday season.

“It’s a tremendous opportunity in the season of giving and the season of togetherness to come together for a common cause and one defined purpose,” Semper Gratus president Ian Cole said of the event. “All we’re trying to do is lead by example and set the precedent that giving is good and giving can be cool.”

It was the third consecutive year Cole’s organization set up Semper Giving in the lobby of the practice site of the five-time Stanley Cup champion Penguins.

All of the food items were donated from a handful of Walmart locations that included Greensburg, Latrobe, North Huntingdon and Delmont.

Over the last three years, Semper Gratus, along with its band of dedicated partners, has assisted in putting a hearty Thanksgiving meal on the table for more than 5,000 people.

“We’re small but mighty at Semper Gratus, but our giving community is huge,” Cole said.

After the meals are all packed, Pitt Ohio trucking company volunteers its services to move the boxes into position. From there, Familylinks, a health and human services nonprofit based out of Pittsburgh, takes care of the distribution of those boxes.

“The holidays are hard on everybody, but especially someone that’s at or below the poverty line,” Lauren Galletta, Familylinks director of development and outreach, said. “We’re really excited to be able to give our clients this full box of food ready to go with all the Thanksgiving fixings to make it a really nice holiday.”

As the number of prepped meals has increased over the years, so has the number of volunteers that give their time to the cause. This year’s event had about 75 volunteers, many of them children who practice and play on the ice rinks at the complex.

“It’s grown every year, and I know that the kids have a great time packing the boxes,” Danny MacKinnon, executive director of the Lemieux Complex, said. “I know that there’s a ton of support behind it from the community. A bunch of different organizations roll up their sleeves to make sure that 500 plus boxes are ready for Thanksgiving for those less fortunate.”

Volunteers from Semper Gratus, Walmart, UPMC, the Pittsburgh Penguins and others help fill more than 500 boxes with Thanksgiving meals at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Owen Hammel moves one of more than 500 boxes full of Thanksgiving meals at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

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Lindsay Amodei grabs cans for an assembly line as volunteers from Semper Gratus, Walmart, UPMC, the Pittsburgh Penguins and others help fill more than 500 boxes with Thanksgiving meals at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

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Joe Felschow helps fill boxes with small bags of potatoes as volunteers from Semper Gratus, Walmart, UPMC, the Pittsburgh Penguins and others help fill over 500 boxes with Thanksgiving meals at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Owen Hammel helps gather boxes as volunteers from Semper Gratus, Walmart, UPMC, the Pittsburgh Penguins and others help fill more than 500 boxes with Thanksgiving meals at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

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Darla Herrera helps pack boxes as volunteers from Semper Gratus, Walmart, UPMC, the Pittsburgh Penguins and others help fill more than 500 boxes with Thanksgiving meals at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

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Harper Hammel hides in a box as his brothers help carry some of 500 boxes of Thanksgiving meals to be filled by volunteers from Semper Gratus, Walmart, UPMC, the Pittsburgh Penguins and others at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Charlie Hammel gathers boxes as volunteers from Semper Gratus, Walmart, UPMC, the Pittsburgh Penguins and others help fill more than 500 boxes with Thanksgiving meals at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex in Cranberry Township on Tuesday, Nov. 19. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw