The Santa Barbara Rescue Mission is accepting turkeys, canned food, and monetary donations in advance of its annual Thanksgiving Feast, which will take place 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25. The socially distanced yet festive celebration will be held in the Rescue Mission dining hall, 535 E. Yanonali St.
Adhering to COVID-19 guidelines, this year the Rescue Mission will deviate from its long-held tradition of including volunteers. The staff and men in the mission’s 12-month Drug and Alcohol Treatment Program plan to serve some 300 meals to community members in need.
The turkeys are prepared and cooked in advance. The Thanksgiving dinner will include turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, pie, and all the trimmings. About 300 turkeys are needed for all of the meals that will be served throughout the holiday season.
“This Thanksgiving is going to be extra challenging for us because of the pandemic and ongoing restrictions,” said Rolf Geyling, head of the Rescue Mission. “We are planning to provide thousands of meals needed this holiday season, including 300 just for Thanksgiving alone.”
Donations may be dropped off Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Yanonali Street office.
The Santa Barbara Rescue Mission, a 501(c)(3) organization, has served Santa Barbara city and county for 55 years, providing emergency services and long-term recovery for the homeless and addicted. With 94 beds for men and 34 for women, it is the only emergency shelter open 365 nights of the year from Santa Maria to Ventura.
In a typical year, the Rescue Mission provides some 140,000 meals and more than 50,000 safe nights of shelter for individuals with no place else to turn.
For more information, contact Rebecca M. Weber, director of communications, 805-966-1316 ext. 105 or rweber@sbrm.org.