Although Thanksgiving Day is two weeks away, volunteers in Syracuse are already preparing for a busy holiday season.

The Rescue Mission Alliance — one of several organizations that see an influx of volunteers during the holidays — expects to have 450 volunteers for Thanksgiving this year, said Glenna Croy, volunteer services director at the organization.

The mission organizes a holiday lunch for the community on Thanksgiving Day, she said. Volunteers also deliver 1,500 meals to the elderly and people who are homebound.

The organization receives most of its food from community donations, Croy said. The Rescue Mission Alliance also has its own food service staff of volunteers and paid employees who prepare the meal for the Thanksgiving event.

Croy said she was not sure how long the Rescue Mission has been hosting Thanksgiving events, but the organization has existed for 130 years.

Lynn Hy, chief development officer for the Food Bank of Central New York, said the organization partners with other charities for Thanksgiving. Hy said the Food Bank also helps provide food for children who are in need during the summer.

Catholic Charities will donate more than 200 turkeys, said Bridget Dunn, community relations and communications coordinator for the organization. Dunn said anonymous community members donate the turkeys, and meals are also served at the shelter.

Within the Syracuse City School District, schools hold events throughout the city, said Karin Davenport, communication specialist for the district. The district also holds a Thanksgiving dinner for families, she said.

Julie Gilbert, resource and referral specialist at the Samaritan Center, said the organization sees the most volunteers on Thanksgiving, when they provide meals for people living in the nearby YMCA.

The Samaritan Center is primarily a soup kitchen and that serves families, she said. She said 7 percent of the people the center feeds are younger than 18, and about 14 percent are senior citizens.

Programs like these give people in the community the chance to give back, she said.

Officials from each of the organizations said they hold Thanksgiving events each year because of donations from the community.

Croy said the people the Rescue Mission Alliance serves are grateful because they have a place to eat and have a meal.

Published on November 9, 2017 at 12:17 am

Contact Bianca: bmoorman@syr.edu