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Business Owner Feeds The Homeless On Christmas

By Melissa Garcia

DENVER (CBS4) - Businesses, churches and families came together to help the homeless Denverites on Christmas.

Hundreds of people showed up at Civic Center Park, where volunteers gave out blankets, sleeping bags, winter coats and hot meals at the event Christmas in the Park.

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(credit: CBS)

"It can be sometimes a dark world, and so we're trying to remind people that that's just not the case, and that we can put more love in it if we want to. And you'll see these 600 people proving it," said Jerry Herships, pastor at the church After Hours Denver.

That was one of several homeless charity events across the city.

CBS4's Melissa Garcia met one family putting on Food Truck Feeding the Homeless in downtown Denver.

The gathering was scheduled to begin at 11 a.m., but the event organizer showed up shortly after 9 a.m. and there was already a line of people waiting to get a hot meal.

"They were hungry. So we said 'The food's warm. Let's start serving,'" said Frankie Sanchez, Owner of North of the Border Grill.

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(credit: CBS)

Sanchez said that between 500 and 1,000 people showed up Christmas morning to get their fill of chicken and turkey soup, fresh made nachos and green chile.

"I always told myself if I was able to give back to the community, I would," Sanchez said.

He was living up that personal promise, with the help of his wife and kids.

"Honestly, people should do this not just on the holidays, but every day," said Hunter Geist-Sanchez, the owner's 15-year-old son. "It's really satisfying. I was talking to a guy earlier, and he said this is the first time he's felt full in a long time."

"I'm here today because I lost my family last year," said James Charles, who was in line for a meal. "I lost my son and my daughter. And then my wife committed suicide. ... We all have rough stories. And around this time of the year, everybody's hurting. So to come out here and get a nice hot meal and have somebody actually care and love you -- a complete stranger -- it makes the season all worthwhile."

It's the Sanchez family's third year of spending Christmas with the less fortunate.

"We're not here to judge anybody," Sanchez said. "We're here to make someone's day brighter ... I just think it's something that we need to do. If everybody was a little friendlier, the world would be a better place."

Sanchez said that he was planning on doing additional food truck feedings throughout the new year.

Melissa Garcia has been reporting for CBS4 News since March 2014. Find her bio here, follow her on Twitter @MelissaGarciaTV, or send your story idea to mkgarcia@cbs.com.

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