Rachael Ray to dish up early Thanksgiving dinner to Ohio city battered by thousands of layoffs

Rachael Ray offers dinner to jobless Ohioans

WILMINGTON, Ohio — Rachael Ray plans to serve an early Thanksgiving dinner to an Ohio community slammed by job losses.

The talk show host and cookbook author is offering people who live in Wilmington a free dinner Nov. 8 at the local convention center. The city in southwest Ohio has lost thousands of jobs due to the pullout of delivery company DHL Express.

A message to Wilmington on Ray’s Web site says her show can’t fix the economy but can do its part through Ray’s area of expertise, food.

Ray won’t be the first sympathetic celebrity to visit Wilmington. Jay Leno came to town in May to perform two free comedy shows.

Residents who want tickets to Ray’s dinner must sign up online and will have to show ID proving they live in the Wilmington zip code.