In the spirit of Thanksgiving, the San Diego Rescue returned to its roots as a soup kitchen to meet the people on the streets for the holidays.
It hosted its annual Thanksgiving Feast at its downtown location with the help of 150 volunteers.
The non-profit's president, Donnie Dee, said they helped around a thousand people Saturday.
"They're gonna be treated like a customer at a diner," Dee said."
Dee said event is also meant to build trust with the unhoused community, so when the time is right, they will know who to turn to.
"It might not be today, but when you're ready, you're gonna come back, and you're going to see us, and you're gonna say I want to get off the streets, and we're going to be ready to help you," Dee said.
The event on Saturday likely helped about 1/3 of the unhoused community
in the City of San Diego.
According to the most recent Point in Time Count, conducted by San Diego's Regional Task Force on Homelessness, in 2024,there are about 3,489 people who are unsheltered. Beyond that data point, the survey found that between people living in Emergency Shelters, Safe Havens, Transitional Housing, and Unsheltered situations, there are a combined total of 6,783 people who do not have permanent housing in the City of San Diego alone.
Saturday's Thanksgiving Feast event did not just offer a meal; it offered other services such a mobile showers, clothing, blankets, and hygiene product donations, and pet services as well.
Free haircuts were also offered, and one barber who volunteered his time was Ramon Gomez.
Gomez said he is also staying at the San Diego Rescue Mission, and he said the time he spends with people cutting their hair oftentimes turns into a counseling session, just listening to their stories.
"You get to see the transformation, not only physically but mentally," Gomez said. "You talk to them about Jesus and it gives them an outlook of how they could proceed in their life."
The event welcomed new people and many returns, like Mar-J, who said she's been coming for years.
"I've known about it for quite some many years now," Mar-J said. "And I love coming out here because I live in a single room up in Hillcrest and it doesn't have a kitchen. So this is my way to be able to come out and enjoy a beautiful, wonderful meal, be with awesome people."
They even also welcoming back people like Francisco, who said he turned his life around after coming to last year's Thanksgiving meal.
"I came here last year to eat Thanksgiving dinner, and I didn't think I was gonna come in here myself. I've been here since August 1st," Francisco said.
The next holiday feast will be in December.
The San Diego Rescue Mission said that just for $2.72 each day, they can feed someone in their community. They're also always accepting new towels for the mobile showers, new backpacks for children, and more donations.
To donate, go to: https://www.sdrescue.org/
