JACKSONVILLE, Fla — Many of us are stressed cooking Christmas meals for our families but imagine cooking for hundreds.
The Sulzbacher Center is preparing to serve thousands of homeless and people in need on Christmas day.
“On Christmas day, breakfast is our biggest meal of the day,” said Damian Johnson, a sous chef for the Sulzbacher Center.
Johnson is responsible for directing volunteers for a successful Christmas breakfast for 800 men, women and children in need of a warm meal.
Sixteen-hundred pancakes, 2,000 slices of bacon, mounds of hash browns and 800 sausage patties fill pans, ready to be prepared Christmas morning.
Sulzbacher’s job doesn’t end at breakfast. There’s still lunch and dinner to be served with well over 2,000 meals total for the day.
“We’re having leg quarters and dressing and collard greens and peach cobbler,” Amythist James said as she coated 160 pounds of chicken in seasoning.
James, just like many other volunteers, have Christmas dinners to prepare for their own families.
“I’m baking carrot cakes and pound cakes and cookies,” James said.
Although all this cooking may bring some stress, these volunteers say it’s worth every minute.
“It’s always nice to put a smile on peoples’ faces—especially when it’s on 700-800 peoples’ faces,” Johnson said.