La Pine Community Kitchen and Pantry hosts Christmas Luncheon on Christmas Eve

(Update: Adding video, comments from staff, client)

LA PINE, (KTVZ) -- It's Christmas Eve, and many businesses are closed for the holiday weekend. However, a nonprofit organization opened its doors to host a special Christmas luncheon.

The community of La Pine came together Christmas Eve to enjoy a warm meal, at the La Pine Community Kitchen. 

"It's a beautiful thing to see people come in that is living out in tents and in the cold and have no family, no friends, really necessarily, in the area,"Zorba Stathaki, client and volunteer said Tuesday. "They can come and, and we provide a good service for them to come get warm, hot food, and you know, conversation."

Along with socialization, people got to enjoy a warm meal of ham, scalloped potatoes, rolls and a salad. 

 Kitchen manager Mistie Hopper said, "Most of our clientele is seniors and veterans. It's nice that we can help them and they can come in and socialize and, you know, just be together as a community."

The nonprofit provides assistance services to communities in Deschutes, Klamath, and Lake counties. 

It offers services like: a hot lunch program, grocery shopping, and a clothing closet. As well as a place of hope.

Stathakis said, "I was out in, in the woods for ten years, until just recently when I was blessed with some housing and a roof over my head. It's a beautiful thing to see people come in."

The La Pine Community kitchen will also be hosting a New Year's Eve steak lunch.