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SANTA BARBARA, CA – The Santa Barbara Rescue Mission will hold its annual Thanksgiving Feast on Wednesday, November 23, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. The Mission and a long list of volunteers from the community are preparing to serve over 300 meals to men, women, and children in need. The Rescue Mission’s main dining hall, located at 535 East Yanonali Street, will be the center of this festive celebration. The Thanksgiving dinner will include turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy, pie, and all the trimmings. The volunteers will serve the guests restaurant-style while waiting on them, taking their orders, and busing tables.
Rolf Geyling, president of the Rescue Mission, shared, “The care and love from the volunteers can give our guests hope. That hope can give them the courage to tackle poverty, addiction, abuse, and homelessness, which has been holding them back. The holiday meals help bring them to the Rescue Mission, so they’ll be at the perfect place to get personalized help and start a new life. We plan to serve more than 10,000 meals between now and the end of the year.”
The Santa Barbara Rescue Mission accepts turkeys, canned food, and monetary donations in preparation for its annual Thanksgiving Feast. Donations may be dropped off Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. at the 535 East Yanonali Street office.
About Santa Barbara Rescue Mission
This 501(c)(3) organization has served the county and city of Santa Barbara for 57 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 a year from Santa Maria to Ventura. In a typical year, the Mission provides over 140,000 meals and more than 50,000 safe nights of shelter for individuals with no place to turn. The Mission’s 12-month residential recovery program aims to bring individuals from decades of addiction, institutionalization, and homelessness back to sobriety, health, and wholeness. Certification through the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs ensures that participants receive the highest standard of treatment in a non-medical facility. The Mission receives no government funding.