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'Gallons of gravy' for Rescue Mission's Thanksgiving dinner

Rescue Mission Alliance
The Rescue Mission in Syracuse has been serving Thanksgiving dinner to the needy for years. This photo is from their 2014 dinner.

Syracuse’s Rescue Mission is getting ready for Thanksgiving.

Alan Thornton, with the Rescue Mission, said you need a lot of food when you’re making meals for about 2,000 people.

“It’s about 1,200 pounds of turkey, 375 pies, 42 pans of stuffing and mixed vegetables, and mashed potatoes, 20 gallons of gravy," Thornton said. "I don’t know how many people measure gravy in gallons, but we do here at the Rescue Mission.”

Thornton expects up to 400 guests coming to the Gifford Street facility and more than 1,500 meals will be delivered to shut-ins and others who can’t make it to the Rescue Mission. He said the thing that is really special about this Thanksgiving meal is the way it’s served.

"People are shown to their table and they're served as opposed to getting through a line," Thornton said. "And so, it’s a much more personal, celebratory atmosphere. And the volunteers make the event with their energy, and their enthusiasm and the guests are so thankful."

More than 400 volunteers help the Rescue Mission make the Thanksgiving dinner special.

Thornton says the meals go to a people from a variety of backgrounds.

"It’s homeless individuals.  It’s families that are coming to the Rescue Mission that are balancing between paying rent and putting food on the table, making sure their children aren’t going to bed hungry,” said Thornton. “They get delivered to individuals who are homebound.  Many are elderly. Some have disabilities.  All don’t have resources to provide themselves a Thanksgiving meal.” 

Ellen produces news reports and features related to events that occur in the greater Syracuse area and throughout Onondaga County. Her reports are heard regularly in regional updates in Morning Edition and All Things Considered.