ELKHART — Sadly, many people are still struggling to put food on the table for their families. But the Elkhart Salvation Army does not want that to get in the way of a Thanksgiving. They are starting a unique partnership to serve an elegant meal for up to 1,000 people.

The Salvation Army certainly knows the hustle and bustle of the holidays. Last year, they served 450,000 Thanksgiving dinners. But this year, they are expecting a lot more. That is why they are moving their celebration to the Matterhorn restaurant.

“The need of families needing help at Thanksgiving has spurred, how can we help more people,” Said Major Steven Woodward of the Salvation Army.

Kirk Janowsky owns the Matterhorn. He knows the need is great and offered to let the Salvation Army and its guests use his banquet room.

“He’s offering his kitchen, he’s actually offering food to fill that gaps of what we would not be able to do,” Woodward said.

“The opportunity to serve people in a little different setting, its great down at the Salvation Army, but they’re limited in space, and with as many volunteers it gets a little crowded down there,” Janowsky said.

His staff, along with volunteers will wait on those who attend.

“We want to treat them with dignity and respect,” Janowsky said. “It might be once a year they have a real meal at a tablecloth restaurant, but we want to help with that.”

“He had the same heart as well, how can we help, what can we do,” Woodward said. “We’re not just open on Thanksgiving, how can we provide more meals and it just came from that.”

There are a lot of people working behind the scenes to make this happen. The Salvation Army says it can still use volunteers as well as financial donations to pull this off.

“Volunteering is critical for this, we are going to serve twice as many people as we have in year’s past,” Woodward said.

Their goal is to make Thanksgiving many will remember.

There is shuttle bus service for people who live near the Salvation Army office in Elkhart. It will travel between the office and the Matterhorn every half hour.