Port Isabel Feeds Hundreds: Feast of Sharing Dinner Held

By JACQI LEVYA-HILL

Special to the PRESS

Hundreds of families gathered inside the Port Isabel Early College High School gym Wednesday evening for the 17th Annual Feast of Sharing Dinner, a beloved tradition that brings together residents, volunteers, and local leaders for a free Thanksgiving-style meal served with warmth and generosity.

Hosted in partnership with H-E-B, the City of Port Isabel, and a dedicated team of community volunteers, the Feast of Sharing has become one of the most anticipated holiday events in the Laguna Madre area. The dinner is part of H-E-B’s statewide initiative that began in 1989 and now spans dozens of cities, serving hundreds of thousands of Texans each year.

For many local families, the event offers more than a plate of turkey and sides, it provides relief during a season when the cost of living and grocery prices can weigh heavily on household budgets.

This year’s crowd was welcomed by the dedicated staff and officers who have watched the Feast of Sharing grow from its earliest days. Port Isabel Police Chief Hector Martinez, who has been with the district for nearly 23 years, has witnessed the event’s impact firsthand.

“I’ve been here since the very first Feast of Sharing,” the chief said. “Seventeen years is a long time, and we’ve served thousands and thousands of families in that time. Last year alone we fed around 2,500 people. It’s a wonderful event for the community, folks come from all over to share a meal together.”

Around him, the gym buzzed with the sound of neighbors greeting one another, volunteers serving trays of food, and children excitedly pointing toward the blow up slides set up inside the high school. Teachers, students, city staff, and longtime  residents worked side by side, creating a warm and welcoming space for anyone who walked through the doors.

Local officials echoed the importance of the dinner, noting its significance for both morale and community unity.

The Feast of Sharing is one of Port Isabel’s most cherished traditions.  It shows the heart of our community, people helping people.  As families left the gym with full plates, warm smiles, and, in some cases, extra leftovers to take home, the message of the night was clear: in Port Isabel, no one faces the holiday season alone.