Free Thanksgiving Meals, Volunteers Are Bountiful

The holiday--and the volunteering--season begins this week with Thanksgiving, and, although San Diego is responding with its usual generosity, area service groups say what they need more of is off-season charity.

Officials with shelters, churches and community groups preparing to serve Thanksgiving meals to thousands of homeless and disadvantaged people say they have been flooded with calls from people volunteering to cook, serve and clean up during the holidays.

“People began calling in August to volunteer at Thanksgiving and Christmas,” said Mary Ruth Hansen, volunteer coordinator for the Salvation Army. “They’ve just been so gracious. They always are, too.”

Many shelters reported having more than enough volunteers to help during Thanksgiving and Christmas. But officials said there often is a shortage of help during the rest of the year, particularly the summer.

“We have plenty of volunteers now, and we appreciate all the offers to help, but we need more volunteers year-round,” said Dan DiCarlo, volunteer director for the St. Vincent de Paul Center. “We have all kinds of programs where volunteers are needed.”

Karl Whicker of the San Diego Catholic Worker echoed: “We have plenty of volunteers now--we’ve even had to turn a few away--but we could use many more year-round.”

Shelter officials encouraged those volunteering during the holidays to keep their giving spirit through the year by volunteering on a regular basis, perhaps once a month, or on non-holidays when the number of volunteers usually is lower.

Free Thanksgiving meals will be offered at many sites in San Diego County. On the menu are tons of turkey, ham, stuffing, cranberries, yams, rolls and other traditional fare. Much of the food was donated by businesses, community groups and churches, which also are contributing donations and volunteers to prepare the meals.

Among those offering Thanksgiving meals are:

* San Diego Catholic Worker, which expects to serve about 1,500 meals, complete with all the traditional fixings, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday at St. Vincent de Paul Center, 1501 Imperial Ave.

* San Diego Rescue Mission, 1150 J St., which will host a Thanksgiving prayer service from 11:30 a.m. to noon Wednesday. The Stewart and Stewart gospel singers will perform from noon to 1 p.m. The mission’s 36th annual Thanksgiving meal will be served starting at 1 p.m. Up to 1,000 homeless and needy people are expected to attend, mission spokesman Mike Cage said.

* Super Junior Market, 1036 7th Ave., which will serve complete takeout meals starting at 11 a.m. Thursday. Meals will be served until there are no more takers, said market owner Victor Salem, who has provided the meals to the homeless since 1982. Salem’s employees and other volunteers will prepare the estimated 1,000 pounds of turkey, dressing, rolls and other fixings. About 730 meals were distributed last year, and the market is preparing to serve the same number Thursday. Salem declined to reveal how much the spread costs him each year, saying he does it “to give something back to the downtown community. It has been good to me, so this is our way of saying thanks.”

* St. Vincent de Paul Center, which will serve a Mexican brunch to transients from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday. The food will be donated and served by El Indio Mexican Restaurant. From 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., the San Diego Trial Lawyers Assn. will serve dinner to homeless people enrolled in the center’s social service programs. The day’s fare will include 1,800 pounds of turkey and other Thanksgiving fixings. The center expects to serve 1,300 meals during the day.

* The Salvation Army, which will prepare 2,600 pounds of turkey for Thanksgiving meals at two locations from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday: downtown at Golden Hall in the Civic Center, 202 C St., and in Escondido at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 515 W. Valley Parkway. An estimated 2,700 needy people were served last year, and 3,000 are expected Thursday.

* Our Lady of Angels Church Hall, 653 22nd St., which will serve a traditional Thanksgiving meal to about 200 senior citizens at 12:30 p.m. Thursday. A $2 donation is requested.

* St. Jude’s Nutrition Center, 3751 Boston Ave., which expects about 50 senior citizens to attend its Thanksgiving meal from noon to 1 p.m. Thursday. A $1 donation is requested.

* Samahan Senior Center, 2952 Market St., which will provide holiday music from 10 a.m. to noon and a Thanksgiving meal from noon to 1 p.m. About 90 people are expected. A $1 donation is requested.