It’s as natural as turkey and dressing to want to be home for Thanksgiving. But many residents of Northwest Louisiana don’t have a home to go to.
That’s why Shreveport-Bossier Rescue Mission is asking for the community’s support of their annual Thanksgiving outreach. “Thanksgiving is a family holiday,” said Donna Otwell, Director of Women and Children’s Program, “We consider homeless and needy people to be our family and will treat them as our honored guests.”
The Mission is preparing to provide 1,300 meals on Thanksgiving Day. Each Thanksgiving, the Mission opens its doors to all homeless men, women and children in Shreveport-Bossier who need a hot meal. The Mission will prepare 1,000 to-go meals that are delivered by volunteer drivers to needy neighbors in our community.
There are many ways to help the Mission this Thanksgiving Day. The first is through a financial gift. It costs the Mission $1.99 to provide one meal and the care that comes with it for someone who is hungry for food, family, fellowship and hope. Gifts can be made online at www.sbrescuemission.com or sent by mail to Shreveport-Bossier Rescue Mission, PO Box 3949, Shreveport, LA 71133.
Second, donors can also donate items for the Thanksgiving Day meal. Items needed include turkeys, hams, canned yams, brown/white sugar, rolls, assorted desserts, green beans, cream of mushroom, marshmallows and fried onions. Donations can be dropped off at our kitchen located at 901 McNeil daily from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Finally, volunteers will be needed on Thanksgiving Day to help deliver meals. Volunteers are asked to come to 901 McNeil on Thanksgiving Day between 8:45-9:15 a.m. Meals will be loaded into the car, and volunteers will be given maps to the locations to deliver the meals. Volunteers do not need to pre-register to participate.
“Through your outpouring of generosity and compassion, you can be ‘family’ for hurting men, women and children,” Otwell says to Mission friends and partners, “You can let them know they haven’t been forgotten, and that means more to them than you can imagine.”
Information on the Mission’s Thanksgiving preparations and their full range of year-round programs and services can be found online as well.