A People’s Pint Thanksgiving Turkey Day event to raise money for Western Mass. Food Bank

The Recorder. November 12, 2014. By Kathleen McKiernan.

GREENFIELD — If you don’t have family in the area, don’t feel like cooking a three-course meal or don’t have the means to cook up a hearty meal, the People’s Pint is opening its doors to you on Thanksgiving.

For its second year, the People’s Pint on Federal Street is offering a free meal for the community and to raise money for the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts. Meals start getting served at noon.

Guests can expect a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with the help of local businesses and farms.

The turkey will come from Diemand Farm, the acorn squash will come from Girard’s Valley View Farm in Gill, Jekanowski’s Farm in Hadley is donating the potatoes and Pine Hill Orchards is providing the apples for the apple crisp. Jordan Scott, the chef from the Gill Tavern, is also donating his time to put out the meals.

“It’s very satisfying to raise money for a really good organization and do something that brings people together,” said The Pint’s general manager, Josh Breitner.

The Thanksgiving community meal was the idea of The Pint’s chef, Byrd Sargent, to offer a meal for restaurant staff, many of whom don’t have family in the area.

“This place feels like a family to a lot of these folks,” said Breitner. “We wanted to create a space where they can have a Thanksgiving style dinner at a home away from home. And we thought why not reach out to everyone?”

The dinner is for anyone in the community and donations for the Western Mass. Food Bank are accepted from those who can afford it. Last year, the restaurant held its first holiday dinner, attracting a few hundred people on Thanksgiving day and raising close to $1,000 for the Western Mass. Food Bank.

For its first dinner, the restaurant kept the event low-key as a test trial. This year, it is reaching out to more people at social service agencies and advertising.