POUGHKEEPSIE – Local businessman Los Wood teamed up with the Army National Guard and several local businesses to provide free hot meals to anyone in need on Thanksgiving morning. Wood worked with the owner of Hellshire Cusine, a Main Street restaurant, to grill hundreds of pounds of chicken on a portable grill parked on Main Street in front of Katherine Pena’s Real Divas Boutique.
Wood told Mid-Hudson News that 2022 was a difficult year and he hadn’t planned to do the giveaway this year. “I’ve had some health-related issues and other setbacks this year, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I still have a lot to be thankful for,” he said. “I know that a lot of people are going through tough times and I just wanted to give them something to be thankful for as well.”
At 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, with the grill covered in cooking chicken, a line of more than 20 people formed at the sidewalk tables, staffed by volunteers. Wood greeted the hungry people and spent a few minutes talking to them until the food was ready to be served. He even took a moment to encourage them to pray in whatever way they were comfortable before receiving the meal of chicken, beans, potatoes, and various other side dishes and desserts.
City Administrator Marc Nelson and his wife stopped by to offer wishes for a happy Thanksgiving to Los Wood and his volunteers while thanking them for their efforts. Common Council member Yvonne Flowers and her grandson also visited the gathering, with Flowers thanking the servers and speaking with those in line.
Video of Los Wood speaking with the first group to be served:
