At the Salvation Army's Thanksgiving meal in downtown Phoenix, guests lined up not just for turkey and stuffing, but for haircuts, manicures, clothes and a few hours of community and connection.

Inside the Phoenix Convention Center, live music filled the hall as people lined up for hot plates of turkey and stuffing, guided by a sea of volunteers in red Salvation Army aprons.

Children darted between cornhole boards and Jenga stacks. Adults settled into chairs, some with their pets curled at their feet, taking a rare moment to relax and enjoy a holiday meal they might not have been able to afford otherwise. Some gathered around a projector screen playing football, because Thanksgiving wouldn't feel complete without it.

Organizers expected to serve about 1,200 meals on site and deliver ano

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