PHOENIX—An Arizona woman who shared her Thanksgiving table seven years ago with a stranger she accidentally texted opened up her home again this year to a new stranger.
Wanda Dench teamed up with Airbnb this year to expand the festivities, and the company said it will make a donation to the relief organization Feeding America.
Ms. Dench’s tradition began in 2016 with a mistaken text to then-teen Jamal Hinton. She was trying to invite her grandson but didn’t realize he had changed his phone number. Mr. Hinton jokingly replied he would like to come and Ms. Dench said he was welcome. They forged a relationship that still holds strong.
Mr. Hinton had posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, screenshots of their initial exchange and subsequent meeting. Since then, their continuing joint celebration has turned into a tradition that social media users have come to expect every Thanksgiving. Ms. Dench has been dubbed “Thanksgiving Grandma” on the internet.
Airbnb guests could sign up for the chance to eat a catered early holiday dinner on Nov. 20 with Ms. Dench, 66, and Mr. Hinton, 24. They would also get an overnight stay at Ms. Dench’s new home in the north-central Arizona city of Prescott Valley.
The menu included classics such as turkey and mashed potatoes, along with Ms. Dench’s favorite Costco pumpkin pie. The entertainment included taking selfies, watching movies, and playing board games. The booking charge on Airbnb to sign up for the dinner and overnight stay was $16, corresponding with the year Ms. Dench and Mr. Hinton met. Guests would have to pay for their own travel.
Airbnb hasn’t said how much it plans to donate to Feeding America.
Ms. Dench said she hopes others are inspired to be similarly open to new friendships.
“That would be pretty cool to see people wanting to share a good experience and then open it up to other strangers as well,” she said.
Meanwhile, a movie about the unlikely friendship between Ms. Dench and Mr. Hinton is possibly in the works, The Arizona Republic reported.
