On Thursday, November 20th, one of Chattanooga’s most cherished community events, Gratefull, will be held at one long table on Martin Luther King Blvd.
The free, city-wide Thanksgiving luncheon is celebrating its 10th year serving food and bringing people together around a great cause in Greater Chattanooga.
Grateful began in 2014 by Causeway as a one-time event and has grown in droves, with it now averaging 2000 people at every meal. Ultimately, other cities have even reached out and started a Gratefull event in their town.
For Chattanooga, Gratefull has become a beloved tradition where folks can give back to their community and share a meal with their neighbors. Everyone is welcome at the table.
In talking with Dawn Hjelseth, Vice President of Marketing & Communications at River City Company, the organization that now produces the annual event, she mentioned what people who have never been can expect from the annual event.
“Get ready for one of the most beautiful days in downtown Chattanooga. People are encouraged to get there early, with the event starting at 11:30 am. When you arrive, you will be greeted to receive a name tag and a bingo card to get to know your neighbors at the event.
Join one of the lines to find a traditional Thanksgiving meal including turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed and sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, green beans, kale salad, collard greens, baked beans, cornbread, rolls, pasta salad, and of course, different types of pie and bread pudding for dessert. There is also a limited number of vegan dishes.”
For those who wish to make a contribution at the event, bins are available to support the Maclellan Shelter for Families. The Maclellan Foundation is the presenting sponsor and is a major reason the event is able to happen; however, Dawn also mentioned that it takes a village to put the event together, and there are several sponsors that go into putting Gratefull on.
“Annually, more and more sponsors come to join to help cover the expenses of the event. The Generosity Trust, Medicare Misty, UTC Division of Access and Engagement, Life is Good Chattanooga, and LaBella are all new for 2025. We are grateful to those returning as well, including Delegator, Hamico, CHI Memorial, EPB, First Horizon, Tennessee American Water, Elliott Davis, Smart Bank, City Center Council of the Chamber of Commerce, and Citizens of Heaven.
There are many in-kind sponsors too, like Brewer Media, G93, and Power94. New Terra Compost and World Centric provide the compostable plates and service, Summitt Piano brings an organ and piano along with a great lineup of musicians, RemlapC Productions is our photographer for this year, and Catter’s Trail creates the beautiful flowers for the table. Party Bites has been assisting with the mass cooking of the turkeys, stuffing, and gravy. Niedlov’s, Community Pie, Southern Star, and Coca-Cola have all been long-term partners.”
When asked about plans to expand the community-enriching event in the future, Dawn suggested that they are always adding things, but that they want the heart of the event to remain the heart of the event.
“This year, we added more tables and seats to the event to accommodate the growing attendance. We’d love to see that happen year after year. We do plan to stay true to the heart of the event, that there is not an agenda; there is just an open invitation for any and all to come together to gather as strangers and eat as a family.”
Gratefull
- Thursday, November 20.
- 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
- Free
- Bessie Smith Cultural Center, 200 E Martin Luther King Blvd.
- gratefullcha.org