WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — This Christmas, a West Palm Beach family again supplied hundreds of families with free hot meals, Bibles and gift cards.
The idea started about 12 years ago when a local mom said she wants to teach her kids the true meaning of the holiday spirit.
This has grown into one of the biggest holiday traditions in West Palm Beach.
In 2011, Zaveka Miller and her brother Willie Miller Jr decided to show their kids the meaning of giving back.
So Zaveka and her family decided to open their home to hundreds for their annual Christmas Day Dinner.
"It's absolutely wonderful to share the love of Jesus Christ by providing supplementary meals to children and families so they can have nutritious meals on Christmas Day," Willie Miller Jr. said.
The menu includes mac and cheese, turkey, ham, dressing, sweet potato casserole, stuffing and string bean casserole.
"This is a grace from God, helping out the public," Betty Lester, an attendee, said. "This is what you do for people that need it. We appreciate you all, and we're thankful for what you do for us."
Betty Lester and her son stood in line for Monday's dinner and said the Millers might never know how kind and selfless of a gesture the free meals are.
"A lot of people out here is homeless and they have nowhere to go and no food," Betty Lester said. "So by y'all coming out here and helping us, we appreciate you all."
On top of a free meal, the Millers handed each attendee a Bible and gift card. Willie Miller said the goal of the dinners is not just to feed a person for the day but to hopefully inspire future generations to follow suit.
"I want them to be able to observe what we're doing and to be able to do on to others as we're doing on to them," he said. "You know, basically doing on to others as you would want to be treated."
The Millers were asked if they ever planned on slowing down or stopping this tradition, and they said no. They expect their kids and grandkids to keep the tradition going as long as possible.
