The popular restaurant brought back its annual event to help those in need around Christmas.
INDIANAPOLIS — Kountry Kitchen Soul Food Place gave away meals in Indianapolis on Christmas Day.
Early Christmas morning, dozens of Santa’s Little Helpers gathered in the kitchen for the longstanding tradition.
“Why not? It’s Christmas, and this is what we do, giving back to the community, supporting the legacy that Isaac and Cynthia have,” longtime volunteer Andrea Neely said. “There’s so many people that take for granted that has a meal, has blankets, and so what a better way to start the day then serving the community with the legacy of what Isaac and Cynthia have done.”
For 16 years, Kountry Kitchen Soul Food Place on North College Avenue in Indianapolis has served meals and smiles for the annual Free Christmas Day Dinner Giveaway, and this year was no different.
Organizers say that as food prices rise, the need for support is greater than ever.
“We have over 100 volunteers that have donated their time to either prepare the food, triage the food or deliver the food to people in their homes,” organizer Regina Marsh said. “It is an amazing day to have this many people that have decided on Christmas Day to dedicate their selves to the Kountry Kitchen and our community.”
The goal is to serve at least 3,500 homecooked meals with all the fixins’.
From morning to afternoon, the line wrapped around the building with many people excited to get inside and take part in the festivities.
Many said they are grateful for the kindness of community and the true Christmas spirit.
The COVID-19 pandemic and a fire that destroyed the restaurant’s original building in 2020 put a pause to the food giveaway, but the support of the community helped make it happen again.
“As much as it is about the people in need – we love them and want to serve them – it is also about the people who took time away from their families to say this is a priority for me,” Marsh said.
Approximately 2,000 families were served on Christmas Day in 2023, with more than 50 volunteers making it happen.
