Rescue Mission Reopens Today With a Thanksgiving Meal

Thanksgiving is coming a day early for San Diego’s homeless and for the city’s Rescue Mission.

The mission, which stopped serving food Oct. 7 because of funding problems, will reopen its meal service today with a day-early Thanksgiving dinner at its new location on J Street. The coalition of churches that took over feeding the homeless when the mission closed served its last meal Tuesday night.

“We started when the Rescue Mission closed,” said Frank Landerville, director of the Regional Task Force on the Homeless. “It was just an interim measure.”

Since the operation began about seven weeks ago, the coalition served more than 14,000 meals. Landerville said the program averaged 357 meals a day when it began, but lately has averaged more than 400. “Monday night was our highest when we served 457 meals,” he said.

Landerville said he could not account for the increase, but thought it might come from publicity. “Maybe more people are hearing about the program,” he said. “The longer a program stays around, the more chances there are that people hear of it. I suspect it’s word of mouth.”

More than 200 volunteers helped the coalition serve meals to the homeless. Landerville said the volunteers were members of the coalition’s churches and the public who wanted to assist. The coalition bought meals for $1 each from Catholic Worker Inc. and served them at the Catholic Worker office on 16th Street.

Landerville said that more than $500 of leftover donations will be given to the Rescue Mission to help it serve meals.

Jim Flohr, director of the San Diego Rescue Mission, said 1,000 meals are being prepared for today, although he has no idea how many people will show up. The mission is holding its Thanksgiving dinner a day early so that the “people get two festive meals,” Flohr said, referring to the many churches and organizations that serve meals on Thanksgiving Day.

Flohr was unaware, however, that the coalition planned to shut down its service Tuesday. He said the two groups had not conferred lately.

The mission closed because it needed to pay off at least $400,000 of its $1.45-million debt. Flohr said the mission is about $65,000 away from that goal, but he is optimistic about opening overnight housing within two weeks. Construction in the shower rooms must still be completed, he said.

Other services offered by the mission either have remained open or will reopen soon. Medical services are available on Wednesday and Sunday nights, according to Flohr. He said he hopes to increase the service if more doctors and nurses will volunteer their services.

The new mission’s interdenominational chapel will start services Friday night, at 7 and 8 p.m. The sanctuary can hold 800 people.