Each year, neighbors at Goodwill Horizon House get to experience the normalcy of a holiday meal thanks to Ben and Darla Slaughter. But ask them about it, and they’ll be quick to say, “this isn’t about us.” For them, it’s about honoring their neighbors, real people, who deserve to feel cared for, respected, and included during a season when many are reminded of what they don’t have.

“It can feel overwhelming to look at all the challenges in the world,” Ben reflected. “But you can’t let that stop you from doing something. You just do what you can to help and serve others.”

For many, the holidays bring visions of turkey or ham, stuffing, buttered rolls and pie. A traditional meal with family and friends is something people often take for granted. At Horizon House, however, the daily lunch is usually simple: peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, a snack, and a bottle of water. That’s why this annual meal matters so much. It’s not just food. It’s dignity. It’s a reminder that our neighbors deserve the same comfort and joy that others are celebrating across the community.

Decades ago, Ben’s father, Joe Slaughter, and his wife Sandy, connected with Horizon House while also forging partnerships through his company. Serving others had always been a passion for Joe, especially those experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. Horizon House felt like the perfect fit.

Joe also had a rare gift for drawing people in. He didn’t keep his commitments to himself; instead, he extended invitations to family, friends and coworkers to join him. That spirit of inclusion helped transform the idea of a holiday meal at Horizon House into something much bigger, a family and community tradition. What started around Thanksgiving and Christmas became an annual effort to provide not just food, but an experience. The goal was always clear: to give neighbors the sense of warmth, celebration and dignity that a holiday meal represents.

A few years before his passing, Joe moved to Phoenix. Even from afar, he continued to support the holiday meal. When he passed away a couple of years ago, his family knew there was no question about what they should do. They would carry on his legacy.

Today, Ben and Darla continue to host holiday meals at Horizon House in Joe’s honor. They see it not as an obligation, but as a privilege to serve others, to carry forward Joe’s example and to make sure neighbors have something special to look forward to each year.

Joe’s legacy is perhaps best summed up in a simple truth that continues to guide his family: “Caring enough about others to support them.” And with every meal served at Horizon House, that legacy lives on.

If you’d like to learn more about ways you can also help provide help, hope, and a  sense of normalcy to our neighbors experiencing homelessness, visit our website at: https://horizonhouse.cc/get-involved/