River City Rescue Mission provides annual Thanksgiving meal to express gratitude

Each year at Thanksgiving, families and friends come together to celebrate each other and be grateful, sharing food, music and fun. For some, though, the holiday isn’t easy to celebrate. Many have no family, friends or funds to participate in the festivities.

For 12 years, the River City Rescue Mission and Thrift Store has worked hard to ensure that everyone feels included through its Thanksgiving outreach.

Starting around noon on Nov. 28, the mission at 3705 Washington St. hosts its annual Thanksgiving lunch. On the menu are all the traditional favorites including turkey, ham, dressing and rolls. Everyone is invited to partake.

To help with preparation, the mission is accepting contributions and volunteers.

“If you’re going to the store to buy something for your dinner, maybe pick up an extra one to bring in here, because it’s going to take a lot,” said Earnie Hall, director of the River City Rescue Mission.

“We are taking volunteers, and right now I have an abundance of them, but I’ll never turn anyone away.”

Volunteers will prepare and serve the meal in the spirit of giving. 

“We hope to give thanks and give back to the community,” Hall said. “We also hope to show people that we should be grateful, because God has blessed us so that we can do this. In doing this we just try to remember those who are without their loved ones and a meal that day.”

For more information, call the River City Rescue Mission and Thrift Store at 601-636-6602.