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Charlotte Rescue Mission helps those in need on Thanksgiving, and year-round

By Liz Foster
By Liz Foster

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Charlotte Rescue Mission didn’t just open its doors to all Thanksgiving Day -- volunteers went out and sought people in need of a hot meal.

Leaders for the organization told Channel 9 that while their work on the holiday is important, it’s their programs year-round that save lives.

Dozens of volunteers prepared a hot breakfast Thursday morning before a Thanksgiving feast for 1,000 people across Charlotte in need of a meal.

"The food is just a tool that we will use to communicate the message that we love you, God loves you and your best days truly lay ahead of you," said Reverend Tony Marciano, president and chief operating officer of Charlotte Rescue Mission.

Charlotte Rescue Mission goes all-out for the people it serves every year, with servers dressed like people would expect to see at a fancy restaurant.

"It's often a difficult time of year for a lot of people, especially if they have substance abuse disorder, or mental health, or something that maybe separates them from their loved ones," counselor David Stone said.

While staff of the nonprofit are thankful for the dozens of volunteers who spend their Thanksgiving giving back, they said the need for help is year-round.

"Volunteers are needed certainly other times of the year," Stone said.

Research by the Charlotte Urban Institute shows that the number of people who are homeless in Charlotte has gradually decreased since 2011, but the number of people seeking emergency shelter has gone up 19 percent.

Charlotte Rescue Mission provides services to help people all year, such as substance abuse recovery.

"We're always in need of volunteers to help serve meals, tutor in the learning center and it's a great way, not only to give back, but invest their life in someone who's really trying to move from a life of insanity and addiction to becoming self-sufficient," Marciano said.

After hot meals were served on Thanksgiving, the Charlotte Rescue Mission invited people to stay for movies and football games. Staff also offered cell phones for people to call their loved ones.

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