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Syracuse Rescue Mission prepares Thanksgiving meal for those who need it

Rescue Mission

20 gallons of gravy are on the stove and 1,200 pounds of turkey are in the oven at the Syracuse Rescue Mission today. The organization is serving a Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings to those whom otherwise might not have one.

This is the busiest day of the year at the Rescue Mission in Syracuse, serving more meals to individuals than any other day of the year according to CEO Dan Sieburg.

“This year we are anticipating about 2,000 meals served. And that’s including individuals who come to the Rescue Mission for Thanksgiving meal, as well as anyone who has called in and asked for a meal to be delivered. We have many people who are homebound and don’t have the ability to access our food service center,” said Sieburg.

Between 300 and 400 will be served at the Rescue Mission’s Syracuse campus, but the lion’s share will be delivered to homebound individuals throughout the region.

Credit Tom Magnarelli / WRVO News
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WRVO News
Syracuse Rescue Mission CEO Dan Sieburg

“We want people that have no place else to go, or have no other resources, to have that Thanksgiving meal that is fairly typical here in Syracuse and throughout the country,” said Sieburg. “We want people to feel connected to something larger than themselves."

Sieburg says the Rescue Mission has hundreds of volunteers who will help serve the meal, or package a dinner and take it to the homebound. And not just in Syracuse, but throughout central New York. Along with the turkey and gravy, volunteers have prepared dozens of pans of stuffing, mixed vegetables and mashed potatoes, and 2,300 dinner rolls. 

Overall the Rescue Mission served more than 227,000 meals over the last year in Syracuse, providing breakfast, lunch and dinner every day to adults and children at risk of going hungry.

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.