Organization, local business makes hundreds of free meals to give away on Thanksgiving Day

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- A day before Thanksgiving, the aroma of cooking meats, greens and other sides fill a community kitchen in Milwaukee.

Scales Family Farm partnered with Food is Free MKE to give away free meals.

“We are cooking 30 meals to feed, hopefully, about 90 people," Scales Family Farm Co-Owner Amy Kroll-Scales said.

Kroll-Scales says they raised more than $1,000.

She believes no one should have to worry about food, especially during the holiday. 

“In normal times there’s so many people who struggle," she said. "We didn’t want people going into debt to have a Thanksgiving meal.”

In her smaller kitchen at home, Chaya Milchtein is making dinners for more than 70 people.

Folks pre-registered using a Google form she put online.

“If you want a hot meal, and you’re in a position where a hot meal is going to make a difference for you, I want to give you the opportunity to have one with as little questions involved as possible," said Milchtein, founder of Mechanic Shop Femme.

She’s cooked for others before, and says there’s no shame in giving.

“So I’m making five turkeys, a lot of food," she laughed.

Riverwest Pizza will soon get ready for its meal distribution.

With helpful donations, the owners are giving away 500 traditional turkey dinners.

It’s a type of kindness their employees say anyone in their position would do.

“Just giving back to the community and letting them know that there’s still a door open, even though all the doors are closed right now," Riverwest Pizza Social Media Manager Ben Steckel said.

Both the Food is Free MKE and Riverwest Pizza meals are first-come, first-serve.

Riverwest Pizza's distribution starts at 11 a.m. at 932 Wright St. in Milwaukee.

For more information on Food is Free MKE, click here.