How will you spend Thanksgiving this year? For some, it wouldn’t be Thanksgiving if there wasn’t turkey, dressing, cream potatoes and cranberry sauce on the table. For others, the day would not be complete without a Thanksgiving Day parade. Or maybe you are excited about the football games that will be played either in the backyard or on TV. These are just some of the traditions we look forward to all year long.

 

 

But it’s hard to think about traditions when you’re not sure where you will get your next meal. For the hungry and homeless in our community, Thanksgiving might be just another day without food on the table or a place to call home. In fact, this day may only serve as a bitter reminder of all the things they are without.

 

With your help, thousands of traditional Thanksgiving meals will be served to the hungry and homeless men, women and children in our city. Since 1954, the Mission has served those seeking food, clothing and shelter, not just on Thanksgiving, but every day of the year.

 

 

While most people come for the meal, the Mission seeks to provide every guest with a family-like atmosphere. Through the efforts of staff and volunteers, every person who walks through the doors should feel God’s love for them. Tables are covered with tablecloths. Walls are decorated with messages of hope. Music is softly playing in the background. Deliberate steps are taken to make this day one filled with special memories for those who call the Mission their home.

 

“It’s not just about serving them a traditional Thanksgiving meal,” says Don Worrell, President and CEO of the Nashville Rescue Mission. “This meal may be the first step in reaching a man or woman in the grip of addiction or other life-debilitating situation and guiding them down a new path.”
 

 

It takes a lot of people to pull an event like this together. Hundreds of men, women and children get up extra early during the Great Thanksgiving Banquet to share a warm smile, offer a thoughtful word of encouragement or carry someone’s tray to their table in an effort to make sure each and every guest feels cared for and welcomed.

 

“Volunteers are the heartbeat of the Mission and truly make this day extra special,” said Worrell. “It warms my heart to see family and friends come together to serve those so desperately in need of hope. Their efforts go a long way in making our guests feel important.”

 

We are grateful for friends like you. Thank you for helping ensure the spirit of the Thanksgiving holiday is shared with the less fortunate. We couldn’t do this without you.