Tackling Thanksgiving Hunger

The Buffalo City Mission tackled its annual Thanksgiving “Community Meal” yesterday with support from former Buffalo Bills stars, including Cornerback Booker Edgerson (62’-69’), Quarterback/Wide Receiver Ed Rutkowski (63’-68’), Wide Receiver Lou Piccone (77’-82’), and Defensive Back, Jeffrey Nixon (‘79-‘82). The players teamed up to serve more than 250 people a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings. The Bills alums also greeted guests, washed dishes, and of course, signed autographs.

“The Buffalo City Mission Thanksgiving Community Meal allows us to open our doors and provide a warm Thanksgiving meal to hundreds of individuals and families who might normally go hungry during the holiday season,” said Stuart Harper, Executive Director of the Buffalo City Mission. “We’re so grateful to the Buffalo Bills organization for lending us their former greats. It truly means so much to the people who come in for their Thanksgiving meal to also get an opportunity to meet the players they once cheered for.”

Edgerson, Rutkowski, Piccone, and Nixon joined a legendary line-up in what has become a tradition for the Buffalo Bills players. Others who have lent a helping hand to the Mission over the years include Terrell Owens, Bryan Scott, Chris Draft, CJ Hawthorne, Brian Moorman, Joe Burns, Josh Stamer, Jabari Greer, Duke Preston, John Stamers and more.

In addition to feeding hundreds of the poor and homeless at the Men’s Community Center at its “Thanksgiving Community Meal,” the Mission also will deliver more than 3,500 meals on Thanksgiving Day to homebound families and senior citizens as part of its “Turkey Express” program.