Local Steakhouse Feeds 300 Families in Need

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Jimm’s Steakhouse and Pub partnered with several community organizations to serve a feast to more than 300 homeless guests and their families on Sunday. KSMU’s Briana Simmons has more.

Guests from all around Springfield piled into the Ramada Oasis Convention Center for a prime rib dinner with mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls and dessert.

Children who attended the dinner were served with Happy Meals from McDonalds.

The Brothers of the Third Wheel provided warm hats, gloves, stuffed animals and other toys for kids.

These families were from all walks of life yet they had one thing in common.

“You’ll see all guests here are from all around Springfield--the places where people are living temporarily… some would say they’re homeless. I like to say they’re temporarily without a place to live,” Harriger said.

Rev. James Harriger is executive director of the Springfield Victory Mission, which helped to coordinate the event.

This included providing transportation to and from the convention center and recruiting volunteers.

“We pull all the pieces together, but it’s Jimm’s Steakhouse that really makes this work,” Harriger said.

Before volunteers began serving meals, Harriger acknowledged about 20 veterans in the room and blessed the food.

Urban Ministries choir of the Deliverance Temple sang while families enjoyed their meals.

But, for some of the guests it was more than just a night’s meal.

“It’s really a morale booster to know they got a good meal something that I can’t financially provide right now they got a real good meal, dessert and the whole nine and I’d say it’s really a morale booster,” Perreira said.

That's Casey Perreira of Springfield, who enjoyed his prime rib dinner with his wife and daughter. Perreira gazed around the room and reflected on the night’s event.

“It was great… seeing all these people...a lot of people I know and that I’ve lived on the streets with. I’ve eaten out of dumpsters with some of these people when I was on the streets. It’s really awesome to know that they may not have a warm bed tonight, but they’re going to have a full belly,” Perreira said.