Quinn Duane’s fiancé called off their wedding just days before the ceremony. The venue was booked. The food was ordered. The decorations were set. And none of it was refundable. The whole thing had cost $35,000.
Duane’s mother, Kari, had an idea. They’d already paid for a wedding feast for 120 people. So they invited Sacramento’s unhoused community to come eat it.
“When I found out on Monday that the wedding would not be taking place, it just seemed like, of course, this would be something that we would do to give back,” Kari said.
Duane didn’t attend the banquet herself, but she supported the plan. “When you have a ton of food, what better way to give it to the hungry, those who need it,” she said.
The first person to arrive was a woman who was too old to work and couldn’t afford rent. Then more people showed up. About 90 in total. The meal included salmon, tri-tip, appetizers, salad, gnocchi, and cauliflower.
Rashid Abdullah brought his wife and five kids. “When you’re going through a hard time and a struggle for you to get out to do something different and with your family, it was really a blessing,” he said. His wife, Erika, added, “To lose out on something so important to yourself and then give it to someone else is really giving, really kind.”
Duane told KCRA that “the most overwhelming thing was how many people were positively impacted.” When asked what she took away from the whole situation, she said, “Doing something positive doesn’t need to be overcomplicated. Mine came out of a bad situation and regardless, it’s important to pay forward and do something positive in the world.”
The family had also paid for a honeymoon in Belize. Duane and her mom decided to use it and took the trip together.
