LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The Las Vegas Rescue Mission is gearing up for its biggest meal service of the year as Thanksgiving approaches, with staff and volunteers working around the clock to prepare a community feast for more than 1,000 people on Wednesday from 4 to 6 p.m.
Hailey Gravitt spoke to staff Wednesday morning to learn how they are getting ready:
While the Rescue Mission serves meals 365 days a year, Thanksgiving brings its largest crowd as the organization opens its doors to anyone seeking a warm plate and a welcoming place to sit.
"This is a 365 days of the year service that we offer. It's a free meal. Anyone that's staying with us in the shelter or in the program, they'll be able to eat in this meal. Anyone outside can come in as well," said Heather Williams, Director of Development at Las Vegas Rescue Mission.
The massive undertaking requires extensive planning and preparation that began well over a week before the holiday.
Staff faced logistical challenges, including thawing frozen turkeys and working with limited oven space to cook the large quantity of food needed.
"The preparation has been going on for well over a week. All of the turkeys we got were frozen, so we had to allow time for them to thaw. We only have a limited number of ovens, so it took a while for all of those turkeys to be cooked. This has been an ongoing process for quite some time," Mission staff said.
This year, the Rescue Mission is adding a special touch by placing handwritten cards from donors on every table, hoping to make the meal even more meaningful for guests.
"We're able to lay that on the tables as well, so as soon as our guests sit down, they've got something special they can read — a message from the donors as well," Williams said.
The mission has noticed increased demand for their services across the Valley, with more people turning to them for help.
Staff observed higher numbers at community dinners that didn't decrease until mid-month due to SNAP benefit uncertainty during the recent government shutdown.
"We were serving a lot more people for that community dinner, and we didn't see that drop until the cards were loaded. And then we saw that drop mid-month," mission staff said.
The Thanksgiving tradition continues to be fueled by volunteers, donors, and the mission's commitment to ensuring everyone has a place at the table during the holiday season.
If you or someone you know is still struggling to put food on the table, here is a list of available pantries and meals on Thanksgiving Day.
