Ottawa Mission anticipates serving almost 14,000 meals this Christmas
Help The Ottawa Mission Feed Hungry Community Members this Christmas by Donating Frozen Turkeys
Ottawa, ON – As we head into the holiday season, planning is well underway for The Ottawa Mission’s annual Christmas Dinner at its shelter, which will take place on Sunday, December 18th, and also from December 11– 18 through the shelter’s food truck program, which will deliver full Christmas meals throughout the city.
On any given day, The Ottawa Mission serves over 3,000 meals to shelter residents and those in need in the community. This past Thanksgiving, with the addition of a second truck to our food truck program, the shelter served over five times the number of meals it provides during special holidays, rising from 2,500 to 13,605 meals. Due to the shocking increase in hunger across our community, the shelter anticipates serving up to 14,000 special Christmas meals.
“It will take about 6,500 pounds of turkey or 650 ten-pound turkeys to feed everyone who comes to our special Christmas dinner,” says Chef Ric Watson, Director of Food Services at The Mission. “Our kitchen volunteers and staff are working very hard to ensure that everyone will have a delicious turkey dinner by preparing for this very special event in advance.”
Also on the menu will be: 3200 lbs. of potatoes; 1700 lbs. of vegetables; 150 gallons of gravy; and 900 vegetarian quiches.
Members of the public can help ensure that no one in our community goes hungry this Christmas. Frozen turkey donations can be dropped off between 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the garage entrance to The Ottawa Mission at the corner of Waller and Besserer. Please ring the bell and a staff-person will arrive to receive your donation.
Monetary donations to support the Christmas meal are also appreciated and can be made at: https://ottawamission.com/donate/.
About The Ottawa Mission
Since 1906, The Ottawa Mission has been serving the homeless, the hungry and the lost by providing food, clothing, shelter and skills. In 2020-2021, The Ottawa Mission provided emergency shelter to an average of 118 men every night and served an average of 2,570 meals every day. The Ottawa Mission also provides to men and women health services, mental health and addiction treatment programs, hospice care, dental services, housing services, educational support, job training, spiritual care, and clothing to thousands in need in our community. In September 2020, The Ottawa Mission marked the one millionth hour that the shelter has been in existence since its founding in 1906. In 2019, The Mission became a housing-focused shelter reflective of its commitment to a home for everyone as a human right with the launch of a new housing department.
FOR INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Aileen Leo
Director of Communications
T 613.234.1144 x 305
C 613.712.3092
aleo@ottawamission.com