Safeway Feast of Sharing Celebrates the Season of Giving Back

The 23rd Annual Safeway Feast of Sharing themed “Sharing, Caring and Reconnecting” was held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center on November 23rd. This citywide community event has been presented by Events DC on Thanksgiving Eve since its inception in 1999 and is cosponsored by Safeway, Truist Bank, The Salvation Army, Unity Health Care, and Events DC service partners Aramark, Projection, Digital Conventions, and Hi-Tech Electrical.

Attendees were excited that Feast of Sharing was held in-person for the first time since 2019 due to the global pandemic. In 2020 and 2021, meal boxes and gift bags with winter hats, scarves, gloves and socks were delivered to 20 DC-based nonprofit organizations with feeding programs. This year’s Feast was a grab-and-go format rather than the usual seated hot holiday lunch, community services expo and winter clothing giveaway. Live music of LA Young and the UnUsual Suspects kept the crowd in a festive mood throughout the event. Special guests Mayor Muriel Bowser, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, Councilmembers Christina Henderson (At-Large), Robert White (At-Large), Brianne Nadeau (Ward 1), Janeese Lewis George (Ward 4), Serve DC Director Alexis Square, Washington Commanders Legends Rick “Doc” Walker and Fred Smoot, Safeway’s Brad Spooner and Events DC President and CEO Angie M. Gates made uplifting remarks offering encouragement and holiday well wishes to all.

Volunteers including on-air personalities from ABC7 and NBC4 distributed 5,000 boxed nutritious meals and gift bags containing winter clothing accessories, face masks, hand sanitizers, and toiletry kits. The Safeway Pharmacy team was on site to offer attendees flu, COVID, and pneumonia vaccinations.

Organizers are looking forward to hosting the traditional Feast of Sharing celebration in November 2023 if health conditions continue to improve next year.