With the help of a new partnership, One Table will be returning to Aiken on Thanksgiving Day.

The event’s past organizers are teaming up with The Salvation Army of Aiken to bring back the free community dinner.

After a two-year hiatus because of concerns about COVID-19, One Table will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Nov. 24.

The site will be The Salvation Army’s headquarters at 322 Gayle Ave. instead of One Table’s traditional location in The Alley.

As in the past, everyone is invited to attend and enjoy a hearty meal and fellowship.

One Table Event Coordinator Kathryn Wade described the collaboration as “a great solution.”

For a while, she wasn’t sure it would be possible to revive the event in 2022 following the long break and the disbandment of the One Table Committee.

There also was another problem.

“Newberry Hall has been very gracious to us over the years, but because of some engagements they had, it was going to make it hard for us to use their kitchen facilities,” Wade said.

For The Salvation Army, getting involved in One Table was compatible with its charitable efforts such as operating a soup kitchen and providing various other services to those in need, Capt. April Tiller said.

In addition, while One Table was on hiatus, The Salvation Army had stepped up and offered free Thanksgiving meals, and the nonprofit was ready to serve holiday fare at no cost again.

“There’s no reason why we shouldn’t do this together,” said Tiller of the new One Table partnership.

Starting Nov. 1, people who want to donate prepared food – macaroni and cheese, rice and sweet potatoes – can sign up and pick up pans at the Life Choices Pregnancy Care Center at 130 East Pine Log Road. After being filled, the pans should be taken to The Salvation Army’s headquarters on Nov. 23 or by 10 a.m. on Nov. 24.

“We also are looking for people to donate desserts,” said Wade, who is Life Choices’ executive director. “They can bring to that food to The Salvation Army (on Gayle Avenue) on Nov. 22, Nov. 23, or by 10 a.m. on Nov. 24.”

Life Choices is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesday and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

“The turkeys have been taken care of,” Wade said. “Some of the same guys that we’ve had in the past will grill them the day before Thanksgiving.”

As for the future of One Table, “we are going to to work to rebuild the One Table Committee and, hopefully, get it back to normal,” Wade said.

The phone number for Life Choices is 803-649-9890.

For information about volunteering or donating money, call 803-641-4141.