Rescue Mission’s Thanksgiving dinner Nov. 21, donations needed

Online Staff Report

Once again this year, Rockford Rescue Mission will provide a turkey dinner with all the trimmings for their residents and guests and for scores of hungry and struggling neighbors. The annual Thanksgiving dinner is scheduled for noon, Wednesday, Nov. 21.

The Mission relies on donations from the community to make this outreach possible, and Executive Director Sherry Pitney believes friends and partners will step up to ensure no one goes without a special holiday meal.

“Here in our community, where the hearts of our citizens are so big and their compassion is so strong, no one should go hungry — especially at Thanksgiving,” she said.

Because many food items used in the Mission’s Thanksgiving dinner are donated, it costs only $2.05 to provide one plate of food for one person. The Mission is asking donors to provide the funds needed for this traditional “sit-down” dinner, as well as food items used in preparing the meals they’ll serve to men, women and children during Thanksgiving week.

As Pitney explains, donations of time, material goods and financial gifts enable the Mission to provide more than 155,000 meals throughout the year, and the care, compassion and hope that go with them.

“For the men, women and children in our Crisis Shelters, the Mission offers safe refuge from the streets, clean clothing and medical care and the opportunity to begin to repair their lives,” Pitney said. “For individuals in our long-term Life Recovery Program, we provide Christian counseling, addiction recovery and guidance in becoming stable members of our community. For our hungry and near-homeless neighbors, our programs provide them with the resources to meet their needs. There are so many ways in which a simple meal can be the first step toward renewed hope and a fresh start in life.”

Financial donations can be made online at www.rockfordrescuemission.org. Information about the Mission’s Thanksgiving activities, food drives, volunteer opportunities and year-round programs and services can be found on their website, as well. The Mission can be reached at (815) 965-5332.

Posted Nov. 20, 2012

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