St. Anthony's dining room to serve Christmas dinner to 3,000 needy

Thousands of the needy will be served a Christmas dinner on Sunday at St. Anthony's dining room in San Francisco, officials with St. Anthony's said today.

A kitchen crew gets started preparing the meal at 5:30 a.m. in an industrial kitchen where chefs will cook enough for 3,000.

On the menu is chicken breast with pineapple glaze, sliced ham, sweet potato pie, green bean casserole and horseradish mash, according to St. Anthony's officials.

At 6 a.m., volunteers will start filling gift bags for the guests and at 6:15 a.m. coffee and pastries will be served to the dining room's homeless neighbors.

At 10 a.m. the dining room opens. In town this year to help serve dinner is the Indiana University football team, which is playing a game on Dec. 28 at Levi's Stadium.

Indiana University will play the University of Utah in the Foster Farms Bowl. The University of Utah football team will also be volunteering but at another Christmas dinner on Sunday at Glide in San Francisco, officials with Glide said.

Foster Farms donated chickens to St. Anthony's and chickens and turkeys to Glide, according to officials for both organizations.