By Mary Jo Anzik, SCL
“Nothing beats love,” said “Daddy” Bruce Randolph, a Denver, Colorado restaurateur who, in 1964, closed his restaurant for Thanksgiving so he could cook a meal for anyone in need. “If you give just one thing,” he said, “you get three things back. That’s why I do it.”
A Legacy of Giving
By the 1990s, Daddy Bruce’s annual meal had grown into what became known as the Daddy Bruce Thanksgiving Baskets program in Denver’s historic Five Points neighborhood. Each basket held enough food to feed a family of eight. When the Randolph family could no longer continue the tradition, Epworth United Methodist Church stepped up in 2002, eventually forming The Epworth Foundation in 2005 to ensure Daddy Bruce’s legacy of love would endure.
The Foundation’s mission remains ingrained in that same spirit: to provide emergency assistance and support to individuals and families in crisis across Denver. Beyond hunger prevention, Epworth offers youth programs, parenting classes, and community outreach—focusing especially on children and families who need a bridge to stability.
Love in Action
Each year, beginning at 5 p.m. on the Friday before Thanksgiving, several city blocks near the church transform into a bustling hub of service. Semi-trucks roll in, unloading thousands of turkeys and grocery items. Over 1,000 volunteers work in shifts through the night, sorting, packing, and delivering baskets—each filled with enough food for a full Thanksgiving meal.
By dawn, a long line begins to form outside Epworth. Families arrive before sunrise—rain, snow, or shine—waiting patiently for a basket and a moment of hope. Volunteers also deliver meals directly to the elderly, homebound, and disabled. In 2024, 7,500 families received Thanksgiving baskets through the program.
Partnership in the Spirit of Charity
Since 2017, the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth have supported this effort through the SCL Charity and Systemic Change Fund, by providing an annual donation to be used directly to purchase food for the baskets. “I’m grateful that our Community can help keep this work alive,” Sister Mary Jo said.
The connection between Daddy Bruce’s vision and the Vincentian spirit runs deep: faith in action, care for the poor, and love made visible through service. As Scripture reminds us, “For I was hungry and you gave me food.” (Matthew 25:35)
To learn more about the Epworth Foundation, click HERE.
