The annual event, held for the ninth time, will take place on December 24 with the help of nearly 3,000 volunteers. Organizers said the volunteers will not only prepare and serve meals, but also offer their time to talk and build a sense of community.
This year’s dinners will feature 7.5 tons of carp, 28,000 liters of red beet soup, and 3.3 tons of sauerkraut. Tables will be covered with 18 kilometers of white tablecloths — half a kilometer more than last year, Caritas said in a statement.
The largest gatherings will take place in major cities including Poznań, Lublin, Kraków, Bydgoszcz, and Białystok, but events are also scheduled in smaller towns where Caritas is active.
“What I see during these meetings convinces me our mission makes sense,” said Father Janusz Majda, director of Caritas Polska. “It’s like a retreat — a meeting with people whose daily lives are incredibly difficult. Our goal is to help and accompany those in need.”
Caritas thanked donors and volunteers, saying the event demonstrates that “when we share what we have and offer our time and efforts, we build a community where dignity is the highest value.”
(jh)
Source: PAP