HOUSTON -- Turnout at this year's Superfeast and City Wide Club Thanksgiving dinners proved to be a sobering reminder of tough economic times.
Organizers expected near-record crowds.
"I'm not hungry," said Clarence Hunter, a Vietnam veteran. "That's hard to beat."
The 25th Superfeast in the shadow of City Hall in downtown Houston drew a sizeable crowd. Organizers said as many as 21,000 people could be in attendance.
Volunteers, dressed in sweaters to fend off the brisk temperatures, fed the masses with assembly-line precision.
Superfeast used to be a place where the less-fortunate were given a warm meal. This year, families hit hard by the recession gathered with others with a common purpose.
"[It] looks like everybody showed up," said Hunter. "Most people is not going to want to tell you that their situation is that bad. So, they'll play like everything is just OK."
Government estimates show that one in seven families struggled to put food on the table last year. That's about 49 million people nationwide -- a number not seen since 1995.
Less than a mile from City Hall, the crowd at the George R. Brown Convention Center was as large, if not larger. There, for all the thousands fed, there was a volunteer force thousands strong.
"I have so much gratitude for what I've been blessed with so there's no other better way than to get up on a great morning and serve those that need my help," said Nadia Bruner, a volunteer.
The 31st City Wide Club Thanksgiving Big Feast packed the convention center's third floor. Bruner dedicated the first half of her Thanksgiving to help countless families.
"There are so many people out there during this time of the year who don't have and, so, for me to be here and give of my time, it's nothing," she said."
Many volunteers said they offered their time to give thanks and make a difference.
