Groups Plan Meals for the Needy, Poor

Volunteers throughout Ventura County were preparing Monday to give food to the homeless, the poor and the elderly over the Thanksgiving holiday.

The charities offering assistance to the needy include:

* The Salvation Army in Ventura will serve traditional Thanksgiving dinners from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday at 155 S. Oak St. The meals are available to homeless men and women, families and seniors. Call 648-5031 for more information.

* Catholic Charities will offer 25 to 30 Thanksgiving food baskets from 9 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 4:30 p.m. today at 798 E. Thompson Blvd. in Ventura. The nonprofit organization requests that applicants bring a photograph identification and verification of income. Call 643-4694 for more information.

* The Vince Corner Family Lodge, a part of Project Understanding, will provide meals for the needy on Thanksgiving Day at 43 E. Vince St. in Ventura. Call 652-1326 for more information.

* The Ventura County Rescue Mission, formerly known as the Oxnard Rescue Mission, will hold its annual turkey dinner at noon Wednesday at 234 East 6th St. in Oxnard. The mission typically serves 350 meals a day, 365 days a year. Call 487-7667 for more information.

* The American Red Cross, in cooperation with the Ventura County Public Social Services Agency, will offer meals to anyone in need from 7:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday at the California Army National Guard Armory at 351 S. K St. in Oxnard. For the third consecutive year, the Italian-style meals will be donated by Olive Garden Restaurant in Oxnard. Call 339-2234 for more information.

* The Red Cross also will offer a traditional Thanksgiving dinner from 8 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at the armory. The food will be prepared and served by the employees of Oxnard-based Jones Intercable, which began donating its services in 1992. Call 339-2234 for more information.

* New Harvest Christian Fellowship, a Food Share agency that also offers shelter to homeless men, is serving Thanksgiving dinners on Thursday at 838 West 3rd St. in Oxnard. Call 985-8176 for more information.

* Care and Share, a nonprofit organization in Simi Valley, is offering free turkeys--and some unprepared complete dinners--to families in need. They are open today and until noon Wednesday at 1925 Royal Ave. Call 522-5676 for more information.

* Grace Brethren Church, in conjunction with the Simi Valley Police Department, will offer turkey dinners to the homeless and the aged from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at 2762 Avenida Simi in Simi Valley. Call 527-0195 for more information.

* Grace Brethren Church also will hold a potluck meal from 5 to 7 p.m. Thanksgiving Day at 2762 Avenida Simi in Simi Valley. Call 527-0195 for more information.

* Dominion Christian Center will offer Thanksgiving meals from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday at 1376 Thousand Oaks Blvd. in Thousand Oaks. Call 497-1503 for more information.

* Evangelical Free Church is offering free Thanksgiving meals for the homeless, the elderly and others in need from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at 999 Rancho Conejo Blvd. in Newbury Park. Call 498-6613 for more information.

* Ecumenical Ministry in Ojai will serve Thanksgiving dinners from 12:30 to 3 p.m. at the campus of World University of America-Ojai at 107 N. Ventura St. Call 646-1444 for more information.

* The Ojai Valley Family Shelter, which is operated by the First Baptist Church of Ojai, will offer meals on Thanksgiving Day. Call 646-5226 for more information.