River City Rescue Mission seeks help in preparing for Thanksgiving

Published 4:24 pm Tuesday, November 19, 2019

: People wait in line to be served lunch at River City Rescue Mission last Thanksgiving. The mission will be serving Thanksgiving lunch next Thursday. (Courtland Wells/The Vicksburg Post)

For the past 11 years, Thanksgiving meals have been offered at the River City Rescue Mission.

Meals have also been taken to those who are homebound.

The mission will continue the tradition again this year and is asking for community support in helping those less fortunate.

“We need around 80 turkeys and hams,” River City Rescue Mission Director Earnie Hall said. “There is a great need. People are looking for Thanksgiving boxes and turkeys to feed their families.”

Hall said last year the mission served about 175 meals, and that did not include the food boxes that were delivered.

“We also scoured through the streets to make sure no one was left out,” he said.

In addition to turkeys and hams, Hall said they are also looking for side dishes and desserts.

“We will be accepting anything that you would put on your table,” he said.

Food items can already be prepared while donations of canned and dry goods are also welcome.

On Thanksgiving Day, volunteers will be needed to help serve as well as deliver meals.

“We have a lot of volunteers from across the city who come and put it (the meal) together and deliver,” Hall said, adding, “Parents bring their kids in to get a taste of the other side and what it means to serve.”

Hall is requesting that the turkey and hams be brought to the mission by Monday.

This is when, Hall said, they will begin delivering food boxes.

Also, “We have to cook all the turkeys to do all that feeding on Thanksgiving,” he said.

Those who are interested in donating can deliver their foods to the mission, 3705 Washington St. The mission is open 24-hours every day.

For volunteers who would like to help prepare and cook the week of Thanksgiving, they are welcome to come to the mission from 8 a.m. to noon and 1 to 5 p.m.

On Thanksgiving Day, Hall said, volunteers typically gather at about 9 a.m.

“It’s always been amazing seeing people taking care of people, and we have a community for that and it is awesome to watch,” Hall said.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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