The Orange County Rescue Mission, which provides food, housing and other necessary services to the needy throughout Orange County, is calling for donations from the community to help provide 400 meals to those in need this Thanksgiving.

“When we prepare Thanksgiving dinner, we need 50 pies just to give one piece to each person,” explained Jim Palmer. “Because Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for all of life’s blessings, we know many Orange County residents will want to make a donation as part of their celebration. We are hoping these individuals, families, and businesses will work together to share their blessings this holiday season. Every donation we receive, no matter how small, will help make Thanksgiving special for someone in need.”

The Orange County Rescue Mission serves Thanksgiving dinner to the residents of its transitional facility, the Village of Hope in Tustin, Calif., as well as the needy members of the community, at the Village of Hope each year. This special holiday dinner would not be possible without the community’s generosity in the form of food and monetary donations.

Since most of us do not have 400 dinner rolls at our disposal, providing all the necessary items for the Thanksgiving meal must be a community effort. For those wanting to donate food, the Orange County Rescue Mission is seeking several items, including:

· 25 whole turkeys

· 150 pounds of roast turkey

· 100 pounds of mashed potatoes

· 90 pounds of yams

· 10 pounds of bananas

· 16 pounds of sausage stuffing

· 15 gallons of gravy

· 75 pounds of corn

· 50 pounds of mixed salad

· 400 dinner rolls

· 25 pumpkin pies

· 25 cheese pies

All food donations can be dropped off at the Orange County Rescue Mission’s Village of Hope donation warehouse at 1 Hope drive, in Tustin, Calif.

For those individuals or businesses wishing to provide monetary donations for the Thanksgiving dinner, this can be done by visiting the Orange County Rescue Mission’s website at www.rescuemission.org or by texting COXCARES to #20222. The texting option is part of a larger campaign, the CoxCares 100,000 Meal Challenge, which will benefit the Orange County Rescue Mission, and is an effort by Cox Communications to gather enough food and monetary donations to provide 100,000 meals to the needy. This is a very important campaign, especially during the Thanksgiving holiday season, when food is at the center of all celebrations.

“This is a great opportunity for families and business to pull together and donate to a worthy cause,” added Palmer. “Gathering your family or co-workers and working together to gather food or monetary donations to bring to the Rescue Mission can be a rewarding experience for each individual while serving the greater good by feeding those in need.”

About the Orange County Rescue Mission

The Orange County Rescue Mission is a non-profit organization that uses Biblical principles in its programs such as relationships, finance, and parenting. The Orange County Rescue Mission’s innovative facilities and programs provide food assistance and shelter in addition to counseling, education, job training, mental wellness, life skill training, and medical services to provide a solid foundation for the transition to a self-sufficient life. To make a donation or inquire about volunteer opportunities with the Orange County Rescue Mission, please contact the Village of Hope at (714) 247-4300 or log on to www.rescuemission.org.