SALINAS — Interim Inc. hosted its annual Winter Holiday Meal on Dec. 19 at the OMNI Resource Center in Salinas, welcoming clients and community members for a shared holiday meal rooted in connection, dignity and care.
The event served individuals who regularly access services at OMNI, including adults experiencing homelessness and those living with mental health challenges. Additional meals were also delivered to Interim’s residential and service programs, extending the impact beyond the OMNI campus.
This year marked the fifth consecutive year that Coastal Roots Hospitality partnered with Interim Inc. to support the organization’s holiday luncheons. Coastal Roots Hospitality’s catering team — part of the Coastal Roots family that includes Tarpy’s Roadhouse — donated ingredients and prepared Winter Holiday Meal dishes including turkey, gravy, green beans and homemade mashed potatoes for 250 meals, helping ensure guests experienced a warm and welcoming holiday gathering.
“The holiday meals are about reminding people that they matter and that they belong,” said Interim Executive Director Rhiyan Quiton. “We are deeply appreciative of the support Coastal Roots has provided without fail for the past five years. These events are more than a meal — we’re feeding a spirit of hope at a time when the need for nourishing food continues to grow among our most vulnerable community members.”
Volunteers also play a key role in creating a welcoming environment at OMNI.
“The environment here makes me want to keep coming back,” said Giulianna Landzaat, a service learner from CSUMB and regular OMNI volunteer. “It’s fun to connect with people, share conversations, and genuinely engage with individuals you wouldn’t normally get the chance to talk with. That sense of connection is what makes volunteering here so meaningful. Attendees of the Holiday Meal let me know how much they appreciate the meal and the care OMNI, the volunteers and Coastal Roots take to serve them.”
The Winter Holiday Meal is part of Interim’s broader holiday meal program, which provides hundreds of meals throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas season — reinforcing the power of food, fellowship and community care.
Interim Inc. is Monterey County’s largest nonprofit organization dedicated to providing housing, healing and hope to adults living with mental illness. With a range of services including affordable housing, mental health treatment and peer support, Interim helps individuals on their path to recovery and independence.
