Mercy Home’s Friends First Mentoring Program held their Thanksgiving dinner in the boys home cafeteria. Mentors, mentees, and family members gathered in celebration as falling snow outside provided a lovely holiday backdrop.

Inside, the festivities hummed with heartwarming fellowship. Upon entering, families were greeted with tote bags full of all the fixings for a proper Thanksgiving meal, compliments of the Greater Chicago Food Depository.

Mentors, mentees, and family members then convened to catch up, play games, and make Thanksgiving-themed crafts. Eventually, a little friendly competition took the event into high gear, as mentors and mentees squared off in various contests featuring bubble gum blowing, rock-scissors-paper, and jumping jacks.

After working up an appetite, attendees welcomed a well-deserved Thanksgiving feast, graciously served up by Mercy Home’s kitchen coworkers and Friends First Program Manager Tilisha Harrison.

Thanks again to our friends at the Greater Chicago Food Depository for donating the Thanksgiving meal kits. Thanks also to coworkers in the kitchen – Chef Nyah Griffin, Stanley Smith, and Ernest Jamison – for working on a Saturday to feed our families. Gratitude also goes out to our Friends First coworkers for running activities, serving food, and preparing and delivering meal kits.