Rescue Mission serves up hot meals and hope

Hundreds of homeless and needy receive a Thanksgiving meal and donated clothes and necessities

Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun

Homeless for 14 months, Jennifer Chiaverini, 36, smiles upon receiving a hot Thanksgiving meal Wednesday night during the annual community dinner at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission.

By Tiffany Gibson (contact)

Thursday, Nov. 26, 2009 | 3:03 a.m.

Rescue Mission dinner

You need to upgrade your Flash Player

Las Vegas Rescue Mission

On the eve of Thanksgiving, hundreds of people gathered at the Las Vegas Rescue Mission for a free meal.

Some people sat on sidewalks bundled up in donated coats, while others enjoyed a traditional Thanksgiving meal of turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce in the dining hall.

James Laurin of Las Vegas said the meal was excellent. He said he recently lost his job at a warehouse and has been living in shelters because his tendonitis prevents him from working. The event always provides quality food and a place for people to turn to, he said.

Chris Odle, volunteer coordinator for the Las Vegas Rescue Mission, said the facility has been hosting the community dinner since 1970.

This year, he said, Wal-Mart donated 1,000 pairs of socks to be handed out, along with T-shirts, hygiene products and blazers donated by the community.

“They are getting the stuff we take for granted,” Odle said. “Their level of gratitude is unimaginable. They are all very grateful.”

Odle said volunteers from several organizations helped serve dinner this year, including Wells Fargo and AT&T employees.

Wells Fargo volunteers Erin Henlin, 28, and Nicole Traughber, 30, said this is their first year volunteering at the community dinner.

Traughber said she enjoyed serving dinner and doesn’t need acknowledgment for her services.

“I don’t even need them to say anything,” Traughber said. “This is the first substantial meal they’ve probably had in a long time.”

Mrs. Nevada, April Swartz, also volunteered at the dinner. Swartz said more people should lend a helping hand throughout the year, especially with Nevada’s high homeless rate.

Pastor Jeff Chaves said the community dinner is different than other meals the center provides because volunteers actually serve the diners instead of having them wait in line.

In addition, he said, the center held its annual turkey giveaway on Saturday, which provided 1,500 turkeys to working-poor families.

Billy Millsap, 25, from Arkansas said he was living on the streets for six months before he had interest in a recovery program. He said he lived on D Street near the center until one day a deacon at his church encouraged him to look into shelters.

Besides providing meals, Chaves said, the Las Vegas Rescue Mission offers a 12-step substance-abuse recovery program that allows people to get back on their feet.

Millsap said he attended the community dinner to try to convince others to stop living on the streets and look into recovery programs.

Discussion: 4 comments so far…

Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy.

By LORDGLENMORE

Nov. 26, 2009

3:47 a.m.

Suggest removal

Thank God there are people out there who care.
Everybody deserves a hand.
There, but for the grace of God goes everybody.
By rejco100

Nov. 26, 2009

4:21 a.m.

Suggest removal

They should be offering the homeless KEYS to rooms to get them off the streets, get them disability checks to pay for the room or get them working.

"the Las Vegas Rescue Mission offers a 12-step substance-abuse recovery program that allows people to get back on their feet."

WHAT A LIE! Those Homeless people have already been through 20 of those WORTHLESS 12-Step Religious Cult Programs and it's always the same, they finish the program and still NO HOUSING, NO TRAINING, and NO JOBS! NO MORE 12-STEP RELIGIOUS CULT INSANITY!
By davidwayneosedach

Nov. 26, 2009

6:51 a.m.

Suggest removal

For many of the homeless - this will be the best meal they've had in months. Let's hope it gets some of them off the streets.
By rejco100

Nov. 26, 2009

12:24 p.m.

Suggest removal

davidwayneosedach, It's AMAZING what the homeless can build with a couple of scoops of mashed potaoes; A 3 bedroom/2 bath homes made out of mashed potatoes will get three homeless guys off the streets.