INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Pacers hosted hundreds of guests to a holiday meal Thursday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Players and staff served a hot dinner to those experiencing homelessness in central Indiana at the "Come to Our House" Thanksgiving dinner.
In addition to the hot meal, guests participated in activities for children and adults, including giveaways and face painting. Boomer, the Pacers' mascot, and members of the Pacemates dance team took pictures with guests and signed autographs during the event.
The guests also had a chance to meet their favorite Pacers and Fever personalities.
Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton hosted the event for the second straight year.
"I think holidays are about family and I think all of us together as human beings, we all are family at the end of the day," Haliburton said. "People can always connect through food."
Haliburton has been active in the Indianapolis community since he arrived in February of 2022. He told 13News taking part in the holiday event means a lot to him.
"It's just important for me to get back to Indy. When I inked the deal this summer, I made a commitment to do as much as I could in the community while I'm here," Haliburton said. "So it's important for me to show love. The community shows love to us every night, coming and supporting us, supporting us when we're not at home. So it's important that we give that love back."
This is the 26th year the Pacers have hosted the Thanksgiving meal.