NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — With a week away from Thanksgiving, people are already giving back to the community by offering free meals.
Shugga Hi Bakery and Café on Dickerson Pike has made it an annual tradition to do so. This year they brought back their 6th Annual Harvest Community Meal.
It was a chance for anyone in the community to stop by and have a free warm Thanksgiving meal. Volunteers showed up to help give out the food.
“I never grew up with money and also we used to have to hunt for food, so it’s always good to give back to the community," volunteer Claudette Fishburn said.
Most people describe the bakery and cafe as good vibes and good food.
Owners Kathy Leslie and her sister Sandra Austin had always planned to give back to the community when they opened Shugga Hi. They've been doing so in the forms of meals for years.
"She had a heart of gold and generosity. We just always wanted to spread love," co-owner Kathy Leslie said.
Leslie’s sister wasn’t around for the 6th annual Harvest Community Meal. She passed away last year.
"We continue to do this in her name and her legacy, and so forth. We just are being good to people through love and food. Food is love and love is God. We just like to be good to the community," Leslie said.
Many people describe this annual tradition as a big family reunion. All different walks of life and from different social classes are all coming together to share a meal at the table.
"Love is universal. It doesn’t know any color. It doesn’t know any gender. It doesn’t know anything. People just want to sit down and feel loved and have food together and fellowship together," Leslie said.
Leslie wants to keep spreading positivity in her sister’s honor.
Shugga Hi feeds the community for free multiple times a year.
Last year, they fed over 37,000 people thanks to some assistance from donors.
They are open for regular business hours Friday through Sunday, where they're known for selling their famous chicken and waffles.
