It Felt Like Home
Residents at several
Aeon buildings celebrated Thanksgiving the weekend before the holiday with
dinner gatherings coordinated by Aeon.
Residents at Aeon’s
Coyle and Heritage buildings were treated to a home-cooked Thanksgiving dinner
prepared and served by a group of ten volunteers.
“They cooked the
meal, and they sat down and ate with residents, and they engaged in
conversations on a really genuine level,” says Resident Connections Coordinator
Lisa Holliday. “It really felt like home. There was never a moment when people
weren’t talking and enjoying themselves. It put smiles on a lot of people’s
faces.”
At the Lamoreaux and
Continental in downtown Minneapolis, two buildings that serve low-income adults,
volunteers donated homemade cookies and other treats and acted as servers for a
Thanksgiving dinner catered by Aeon.
“That was really a
community event. Residents helped set up and clean up. Some residents helped
serve the meal. They knocked on their neighbors doors to remind them about the
event, and they wrapped up plates for residents who weren’t able to come because
they were working. There was a real sense of community, beyond just sitting
together at a table.” Holliday says the
events aimed to create a sense of home for people who may not have family to
visit during the holidays. “It meant a lot to have something like this to look
forward to,” she says. She says that the holidays can be an
especially hard time for residents struggling with mental health issues.
More than a week later, residents
are still reminiscing about the Thanksgiving dinners. “People have been
extremely thankful,” Holliday says. “At least 15 people have come up to me and
asked if we’re going to do this again next year.”
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