Bean's Cafe prepares to serve Thanksgiving meal

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Volunteers at Bean’s Café spent Wednesday making last-minute preparations. Bean’s says it expects to serve 1,500 Thanksgiving meals to those in need -- an increase of 200 to 300 meals over last year.

Bean’s says it’s already cooked 30 hams and 40 turkeys, and its freezer is stocked with pies, cranberry sauce and other trimmings. The café’s executive director, Jim Crockett, estimates that about 200 volunteers are needed to make the meal happen.

“We're giving portion control, we're serving less -- strategic standpoint, we have more people to serve with less food than we have before. So we're serving less people with the same food,” Crockett said.

Bean’s says it still needs more vegetables like onions and celery, as well as fresh fruit and coffee. The meal will take place from noon to 3 p.m.

Contact Christine Kim at ckim@ktuu.com