By Coral Gables Gazette staff

Nearly 20 members of the Rotary Club of Coral Gables spent Thanksgiving Day at Chapman Partnership’s North Miami Avenue center, continuing a service tradition that has now reached its 23rd consecutive year. Working shoulder to shoulder in aprons and hairnets, volunteers served full holiday meals to approximately 480 residents of all ages—part of a yearly effort the club considers its signature community project.

The Chapman facility, which empowers individuals and families experiencing homelessness, currently houses about 500 residents, including 140 children. Thanksgiving is one of the busiest days of the year inside the center, and Rotary volunteers helped prepare, plate, and distribute turkey dinners with all the traditional sides—meals purchased by the club specifically for the holiday.

Sally Baumgartner, the club’s executive director, described the event as the highlight of their annual service calendar. “This is our favorite service project,” she said.

Longstanding relationship between Rotary and Chapman Partnership

For more than two decades, Coral Gables Rotarians have taken ownership of the Thanksgiving meal service at Chapman, arriving early in the morning to organize food stations, manage lines, and serve residents throughout the day. The club has deep ties to Chapman Partnership, whose mission centers on providing housing, case management, education, and workforce training aimed at helping residents achieve long-term stability.

The Thanksgiving event brings volunteers from across the club—longtime members, newer recruits, and several family participants—who treat the day as both service and fellowship. For Chapman residents, the meal is one part of a larger holiday program that includes activities, support services, and on-site programming.

Warm moments in the Dining Hall

Inside Chapman’s dining hall, the Rotary team lined a long serving table loaded with trays of turkey, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, greens, potatoes, casseroles, and desserts. Residents moved through the line steadily, receiving Styrofoam containers filled by smiling volunteers who worked in practiced rhythm after years of experience.

‘Service Above Self’, year after year

Rotary’s presence at Chapman each Thanksgiving has become one of the most visible demonstrations of the club’s mission of “Service Above Self.” What began more than two decades ago with a handful of volunteers has grown into a dependable annual commitment that Chapman builds into its holiday planning.

For club members, the project underscores Rotary’s emphasis on consistent, hands-on service—particularly in partnerships that support vulnerable populations. The Coral Gables chapter remains involved with other community initiatives throughout the year, but the Thanksgiving meal is regarded as the one event that brings the greatest number of volunteers together in one place.

Chapman Partnership, founded in 1995, is a key part of Miami-Dade County’s continuum of care for individuals experiencing homelessness. Its two centers provide housing, meals, counseling, and case management while coordinating with schools, job-training programs, and permanent housing providers. The Coral Gables Rotary volunteers support the North Miami Avenue location, the larger of the organization’s two campuses.

As the dining hall began winding down, volunteers continued helping with cleanup and food distribution, reflecting the same steady commitment that has defined the club’s involvement for 23 years.