Meals are served out in celebration of the Veterans’ Lunch Program’s anniversary.
Reminder Publishing photo by Trent Levakis
HOLYOKE — The Veterans’ Lunch Program celebrated its eighth anniversary on Sept. 19 with a packed house of lunch goers there to commemorate another year of success for the nonprofit.
Veterans’ Lunch Program Executive Director Gina Nelson founded the free weekly veterans lunch program that gathers each Thursday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Appleton Street and has created a space that has become a popular spot within the veteran community.
“Today is our eight-year anniversary and I’m always so mindful that small nonprofits usually don’t make it past year three, so once we got to year three, we just started celebrating like crazy,” Nelson said.
Nelson was joined by veterans and their families, volunteers, state Rep. Patricia Duffy (D-Holyoke) and members from PeoplesBank for the celebration and meal. PeoplesBank presented their workplace giving check which is a collection of funds from their employees who decide to make contributions annually to whatever group they choose, and the Veterans Lunch Program was selected this time around.
Nelson said her inspiration to run the nonprofit came from her experience growing up the daughter of Vietnam War pilot. While he was deployed for months at a time, Nelson found solace in nightly dinners with her mother that created a safe space for the family.
“We would sit down, and she would encourage us to talk about whatever it was, and it just really gave us the strength for a good night’s rest and then the grace to do it all over again the next day,” Nelson said. “When I retired from the Department of Defense at Westover, I was only 54 and I knew what I’d like to do was to feed people and this opportunity for veterans came along.”
Eight years in Nelson said she couldn’t be happier to still be in the role and making connections with so many in her community over a shared meal.
“People have left here with benefits or an appointment to get whatever they need, or mental health services. I mean there’s so much that happens in the room, it’s a microcosm of society,” Nelson said. “This is my calling. This is what God has put me on this earth to do and I will do it until the take me out.”
The Veterans’ Lunch Program meets every Thursday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Appleton Street.
