SPRINGFIELD — The holidays can be a challenging time. While a lot of people get together with families and friends, others simply try to find a warm meal or place to stay.
That’s where the Caribbean American African Athletic Sports Club comes in. On Tuesday, the volunteer organization threw a Caribbean-themed Thanksgiving event for vulnerable people in Springfield.
“We wanted to provide a space for the less fortunate — people living in shelters and people who can’t make food on their own to come enjoy some good Caribbean food for Thanksgiving,” said Delva Campbell, a club volunteer.
The menu? “Traditional” Thanksgiving cuisine with a Jamaican twist.
Along with things like collard greens, turkey, cornbread and cranberry sauce, the meal included flavors of Jamaica, like stew chicken, curry chicken, jerk chicken and stew pork. Those offerings were prepared by Campbell and another volunteer, local artist Humphrey Godart.
Bernard Hosten of Springfield signals that he’s having a good time at the Thanksgiving event hosted by the Springfield Caribbean American African Athletic & Social Club in the Mason Square neighborhood Tuesday. (Hoang ‘Leon’ Nguyen / The Republican)Leon Nguyen
“We also had a special Jamaican jerk chicken soup to keep everyone warm,” Campbell said. The event expected to feed 50 people, some of whom responded to posters at Springfield’s shelters.
One of the attendees, Vernon Vaughn, has been staying at the Worthington House Men’s Shelter for the past year. “I really enjoy holiday meals, so I would never, ever miss this event,” he said.
Vaughn is half West Indian and half Puerto Rican. He said the food reminded him of home. “Everyone’s family in the neighborhood,” he said.
The club worked with state Rep. Bud Williams and other city officials to organize the event and help participants make the trip to the club’s rented space on State Street, at the front of Panache Banquet Hall in the Mason Square neighborhood.
“We had alternating buses from Jackson’s Security going to and from homeless and migrant shelters in Springfield and West Springfield,” Williams said.
With the recent influx of Haitian migrants to western Massachusetts, many people this holiday season will be spending their first holiday season in the U.S. away from their families.
“It moves me to see a great human response to the greater need in our community,” Williams said.
Earlier Tuesday, Williams and TD Bank joined to provide more than 150 turkeys to people in need.
Guests line up for their meals during the Thanksgiving event hosted by the Springfield Caribbean American African Athletic & Social Club in the Mason Square neighborhood Tuesday. (Hoang ‘Leon’ Nguyen / The Republican)Leon Nguyen
“There is a tremendous need for food, clothing, and shelter, especially in this community,” said Campbell. “We just want to do our part in helping to ease the transition.”
Campbell got her company, STAG Industrial, a real estate developer in Boston, to donate money toward Tuesdays event.
Last year, the club threw a smaller Thanksgiving event. Now, the organization hopes to make it an annual tradition.
“There’s a sense of community here in Springfield, where people just want to lend a helping hand,” said Tia Vincente, an event organizer.
