Rescue Mission provides Thanksgiving meal for more than a decade

GARCIA/THE STAR Volunteers bring food to feed the 1,000 people attending the Ventura County Rescue Mission’s Thanksgiving meal on Wednesday in Oxnard.

A Winter Wonderland Community event on December 19 allows volunteers to go to the Mission’s community services center to pick up Thanksgiving food boxes and frozen turkeys to deliver to addresses given. The Rescue Mission was packed just minutes after the doors opened for the annual Thanksgiving dinner. They said Thanksgiving has become a very special event for the organization over the years. “I don’t know how many people measure gravy in gallons, but we do here at the Rescue Mission”.

“It’s a great serving opportunity for families at the holiday season to be able to do something as a family to give back”, she said.

“It’s really fun, it wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t do it every Thanksgiving”, said volunteer Calie Gordon.

The Mission says the reaction from the people are priceless.

“We weren’t sure if we could, so yeah this helped out a lot”. The goal this year is to provide 1,500 families with a Thanksgiving dinner.

And happy to get to work more than 250 volunteers arrived at Bright and early ready to serve and give back.

One of their most extensive programs is their Life Recovery, a free, eight- to 12-month residential, Christian-based program that provides structure and discipline as well as counseling, case management and daily classes.

Those at the mission said they’re thankful for everyone who takes the time to help serve their community.

“It was a blessing”, echoed the other women, who also got a Thanksgiving meal after the decorations were finished.

He said his group provided about 300 turkeys a day, beginning last Friday.

“This whole thing is just a complete blessing”, she said. “We’ll be making two chickens”.