COVID In Denver: Rescue Mission Working To Meet Growing Food Need
DENVER (CBS4) – The Denver Rescue Mission is trying to help out 15,000 families this Thanksgiving. They're scaling up their Banquet in a Box program. Each family gets a frozen turkey and a box full of fixin's, including canned vegetables.
As unemployment has gone up across Colorado, the Mission has seen a significant increase in need among families.
"I feel like everyone, at this time, is feeling overwhelmed. I think that's a struggle for us, who provide that front line work, you know, we're doing the best we can," said Jonathan Soweidy, Director of Residential Programs at the Denver Rescue Mission.
The Mission provides housing counseling. And while the Governor's hold on evictions is keeping people in their homes now, they say they're seeing housing insecurity is on the rise too.
"We're getting a lot of requests for information for the future. But because there's that lack of evictions, I feel like we're all kind of waiting, like a dam is building up, right now, and come January, we're expecting to be flooded," Soweidy told CBS4.
There are four ways to donate to the Denver Rescue Mission's Turkey Drive:
--Turkey Drop-off Locations:
Ministry Outreach Center (39th & Holly) 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday
The Crossing (Smith Road & Holly) 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Lawrence Street Shelter (Park Avenue West & Lawrence Street) 8 a.m. to 6 p.m
--Donate Now – Donate money by texting "TURKEY" to 24365. $15 to $20 is roughly the equivalent of one turkey.
--Start a Fundraiser – New for 2020, you can start your own peer-to-peer turkey drive fundraiser. This page walks through all the steps on how you can make an even bigger impact.
--Spread the Word – Share important information about the Turkey Drive virtually with your own community using Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter with #GetGobbled.
The Denver Rescue Mission's Turkey Drive runs through Nov. 25, 2020.
LINKS: Denver Rescue Mission | 2020 Turkey Drive