Free meals for those in need on Thanksgiving Day

Charlotte Rescue Mission plans to serve at least 1,200 meals to people in need on Thanksgiving and needs donations of homemade cakes, pies, cookies and other sweet treats for dessert.

Homemade goodies can be dropped off at the mission through 10:30 a.m. Thanksgiving Day. The mission is at 907 W. First St., diagonally opposite the Carolina Panthers practice fields.

“Nothing caps off a delicious meal like a homemade tasty dessert,” said the Rev. Tony Marciano, mission executive director. “We want everyone who comes to the Rescue Mission on Thanksgiving to receive a real taste of home.”

The mission served over 1,200 meals last Thanksgiving and hopes to feed even more this year, Marciano said. Another 1,000 meals will be distributed through the mission’s Thanksgiving food box program.

The mission also will serve hot breakfast from Dilworth Neighborhood Grille from 6 to 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the mission’s dining hall. Dinner will be served from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Movies will be shown in the mission’s chapel from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. And cellphones will be available for guests to call home from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., thanks to Cricket Communications.

“Our guests will be treated like royalty,” Marciano said. “They will be served by volunteers dressed in white shirts, black pants or skirts to resemble fine dining wait staff. The Rescue Mission dining hall will look like a five-star restaurant with fine china, polished silverware and cloth napkins, all on beautiful tablecloths.”

Skyland Restaurant, meanwhile, will once again give away 3,000 boxes of hot turkey dinners with all of the fixings and iced tea on Thanksgiving.

The restaurant at 4544 South Blvd. will give away the meals from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to people in need and to travelers. The meals are for takeout only.

“We thank God Almighty for all the good he has bestowed on us, and we like to share everything with those in need,” the Rev. Theodore Kyritsis said Tuesday. The retired Greek Orthodox priest started the tradition nine years ago with Skyland owner Jimmy Kakavitsas. “We have too many people who are hungry.”

Kyritsis will bless the meals as they’re prepared from 4 to 5 p.m. Wednesday at the restaurant.

This story was originally published November 24, 2015 at 11:15 AM with the headline "Free meals for those in need on Thanksgiving Day."