Hundreds of people in the Twin Cities on Thursday were able to enjoy a restaurant-style Thanksgiving meal for free at Union Gospel Mission in St. Paul.

The nonprofit, which aims to end homelessness, served people at their Men’s Campus where volunteers came in early Thursday morning to help get all the food ready to eat.

The organization also helped bring Thanksgiving to many local seniors and people in low-income housing, serving meals in community rooms of 18 apartment buildings.

“This is one of my favorite times of the year, to be able to provide that for people,” said Abigail Holtz with Union Gospel Mission Twin Cities.

“Sometimes holidays are a hard or a touchy subject for some people, where you know maybe there aren’t good associations, so to be able to be that positive experience for people to let them know that they’re cared [for], that they’re loved.”