San Francisco firefighters, deputies deliver meals to the needy on Thanksgiving

SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) -- For the 33rd Thanksgiving in a row, San Francisco's firefighters and sheriff's deputies volunteered their time to deliver meals to the city's homebound senior citizens.

The public workers came together to celebrate the spirit of giving.

"It's the best way to start your Thanksgiving," said San Francisco deputy chief Denise Schmitt. "You just come here (and) everybody's working and everybody's happy to help. These meals are going to people who but for that wouldn't have it."

Volunteers at the Lady Shaw senior center in San Francisco's Chinatown dished out and served up some 5,000 potatoes, more than 1,200 pounds of corn and rice and countless gallons of gravy. There was turkey, too.

"We have 120 turkeys today," said Anni Chung, president and CEO of Self Help for the Elderly. "That's enough to feed 3,000 seniors, children and families."

Former San Francisco police Chief Greg Suhr pitched in as well.

"There's just so much to be grateful for," he said. "And you get to do stuff with the firefighters and sheriff's department command staff. It's awesome."

 After the turkey is carved and the gravy poured, the deputies load up the meals for delivery by stashing the boxes into their cars.

Said Chief Deputy Paul Miyamoto: "It means giving back to the community (and) to all the other families that maybe don't have anyone else."

Paramedic Tim Finch says his usual routine is knocking on doors and finding sick or hurt victims.  But on Thanksgiving it's different because he's helping the needy by providing them with meals.

"Happy Thanksgiving!" says a woman who is the recipient of one of Finch's meals. "Thank you."

By KTVU reporter Tara Moriarty.