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Annual Thanksgiving meal hosted by Westy’s serves homeless and hungry

Westy’s is a restaurant in downtown Memphis. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, they give food to the hungry and homeless.

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) – Thanks and giving are what the holiday is all about. 

“This is a special day that God has given us. Some of us have been out here waiting for this time to come,” said Erroll Davis who lives in Memphis.

Westy’s is a restaurant in downtown Memphis. Every Thanksgiving and Christmas, they give food to the hungry and homeless.

“We treat them like they all should be treated. I think that’s important to them because they don’t get that. We try to give it to them,” said Jake Schoor, Westy’s owner.

Volunteers served hot meals and passed out clothes.

“It just gives you joy in your heart to see other people getting clothing, getting food and stuff like that that haven’t gotten the clothes and food that we have. It just gives you joy in your heart,” said Earnest Dobbins, Enon Springs Baptist Church volunteer.

Many at the meal can relate to those being served.

“Simple society forgets good people, they have and the have nots. I’ve been in the situation of the have nots. A lot of us have and just because they come here, it doesn’t mean bad,” said Schorr.

“It means everything because somebody helped me, and I’m taking what was given to me and just dishing it back out. I love helping people period,” said Carl Anderson, Project WIT member.

There are no ifs, ands or buts about it. 

“Everybody needs help sometimes. Everybody needs a little encouragement or just a word or something,” said Anderson. 

Sometimes, a little compassion can go a long way. Davis always has a song on his heart. It is one of the many ways he makes a living.

“This is the part of town that normally I would come by mostly every day. I do little hustling and people help me out to help myself,” said Davis.

Each Thanksgiving, Davis comes to Westy’s.

“I’m sort of homeless. This day, I’m looking forward to getting me some clothes and a hot meal,” said Davis.

However, this year, Davis got a little more.At the corner of Main Street, he met Purpose.

“I love talking to people and associating with people very much because it’s good to get to know people,” said Purpose Benard.

She came to Westy’s with her dad. At her young age, she is already living up to her name.

“God gave me a purpose on this earth, and I’m going to do it,” said Purpose.

She shared her time with Davis.

“Some people live out on the streets. and it’s very horrible. You want to give back to them because they don’t have places to go. It’s not very nice to treat them bad just because don’t have anywhere to go,” said Bernard.

“We’re blessed with many people who give and are there for us,” said Davis. “You might have had a bad day yesterday, but today is a good day.”

On this good day, two good hearts became friends. Since 2004, Westy’s has served more than 25,000 people during Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

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