INWOOD — Uptown resident had a lot to be gratfeul for as community groups and local businesses made sure they had a lot to eat for Thanksgiving Day.
On Wednesday, more than 300 Northern Manhattan Seniors piled into the upper Manhattan restauarant La Marina to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal a day early.
Local seniors from Washington Heights and Inwood were served a traditional Thanksgiving meal of turkey, black beans, sweet potatoes followed by pumpkin pie as dessert at a dinner hosted by New York State Senator Espaillat and Council Member Ydanis Rodriguez.
"This is a very special gesture to these people, who might not — on normal days — be able to come here," New York State Sen. Adriano Espaillat told DNAinfo.com New York.
The dinner served at La Marina was one of several events hosted through Inwood and Washington Heights that aimed to feed uptown residents for the holiday.
At the United Palace Cathedral, Espaillat and Rodriguez joined the congregation in handingout hundreds of turkeys to uptown residents on Monday.
"The initiative to give back to the community and to ensure families do not go hungry this Thanksgiving is done to bring the Upper Manhattan neighborhoods closer together during the holidays," said organizer Min. Gilbert James in a a statement about the event.
The Cathedral also plans to serve locals a "Thanksgiving Day Feast" on Thursday, between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
The 34th Precinct Community Council also donated turkeys to residents during their annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey drive on Tuesday.
At La Marina on Wednesday, Washington Heights local Rosario Nodal, 67, said she enjoyed her meal, but most of all appreciated the Latino flavoring of the dishes.
"It was beautiful," she said. "It was like a Spanish style Thanksgiving meal especially with the black beans. I loved it."
