Yesterday's Thanksgiving Bonanza was an amazing and beautiful success. For as far as the eye could see spanned a crowd of thousands. All those who came were greeted one by one by volunteers who filled their grocery bags with baking mixes, cranberry sauce, diapers, pet food and other needed thanksgiving supplies. Some volunteers greeted the crowd by ladling soup, pouring lattes, putting together bags of clothing and even playing music for those waiting on line. It was the largest vegan thanksgiving ever, it was the largest event we've ever organized and it was awe inspiring.

In all, over 87,000 pounds of groceries, produce and clothing were shared in the first 3 hours! All that along side a few thousand plates of hot organic gourmet vegan food. Those goods, totally an estimated $390,000 dollars, saved thousands of families in our community the heartache and stress of not having what's needed for the holidays.

Still, there is so much more to say, and there's also so much more to come in the next few days. What matters most to us is you. What we feel above all else is an overwhelming sense of gratitude. Gratitude for your participation; whether you were able to join us on Sunday, or if you volunteer with us each week, or even if you've never volunteered with us before. We thank you, because it's you who help us grow.

If you're reading this it means that you care enough about our community to take this time out of your day, and by doing so maybe you help us grow by telling your friends about us, forwarding this email, maybe you help us grow by organizing a clothing drive, or volunteering at a share from time-to-time, or maybe you just donate a few dollars every now and then.

We believe we can change the world, eventually; but for Community Solidarity, the first step in doing so has to take place in our backyards. We have to change things for our neighbors, we have to build the world we want here, before we build it anywhere else - and together, we can do that.

Together we fed thousands yesterday, and together we'll feed thousands more tomorrow. One day, if we want it bad enough, we'll make the world we hope. In many ways we already have.

Thank you, again.

With love & solidarity - Jon Stepanain & your friends at Community Solidarity.

"Never underestimate the power of a small group of committed people to change the world. In fact, it is the only thing that ever has." - Margaret Mead

3 hours into the world's largest vegan thanksgiving the line spanned all the way into the sunset.

...but we're getting ahead of ourselves. Here's how it all started.

Arriving early, volunteers setting up placed color coded tapes along the ground to mark were thousands of pre-sorted color-coded boxes of groceries would be put.

Next, volunteers, in a fire-line, started to unload crates of groceries from our trucks.

Then volunteers began to organize each section like departments in a store. Here's Kelvin setting up our juice table with some organic cold pressed watermelon juice.

By 2pm, just before we started up, there was a line of thousands of people spanning blocks!

And then it began.

Looking across our cereal and baking goods sections, you can see the assortments of treats for people to select from.

An hour in, the line went for as far as the eye could see!

After 3 hours, and thousands served, the sun began to set, yet we kept going strong.

Even after the beautiful sunset, we continued until everyone on the line got everything they needed.

By 8pm, we had finished with the share, finished with the clean up and even had a little break dance battle. Thankful for a beautiful evening and amazing friends, we left inspired with the purpose that together we can end hunger.

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Photo Credit to Phill Gladkov

Oh, and for all those clamoring for the dance battle :)

A brief video of Vegan Thanksgiving 2013.

Thank You