Gospel Rescue Mission feeds community with 37th Annual Thanksgiving Blessings event

TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Gospel Rescue Mission celebrated Thanksgiving early with thousands of people from our community at their 37th annual Thanksgiving Blessings event.

Hundreds of people are seated with hot meals provided by Gospel Rescue Mission as they sit down and enjoy this meal right before Thanksgiving.

"Gratitude means being thankful for everything that God has done and being grateful," said community member William Walston.

Thankfulness and gratefulness are the feelings Will Walston and family friend Norma Reiss want their kids to experience.

It's why they brought all of them to Gospel Rescue Mission today, to sit down and share a meal as a family.

"I look around in the crowd, and I see all these wonderful people who’ve gathered here today, only through the strength of God allowing us to do this. Walston said. "I’m blessed to have my daughter here, being able to do this with me. It’s a blessing."

Volunteers from Rescue Mission came and brought Riess and her children their meals.

"It was really pretty delicious, Reiss said. "It was turkey, cranberry, mashed potatoes, and stuffing. Thank god we were able to eat this and enjoy it with all the family."

Walston and Riess' families were some of the hundreds served at Gospel Rescue Mission today.

The event had 450 volunteers from organizations across come out and help serve the community.

"About 3,000 meals are being served to the community," Gospel Rescue Mission Communications Director Bruce Beikman said. "And our big tent will seat about 450 people at any given time, where they’re going to sit down and enjoy a five-course meal. This is a campus with about 60 collaborative partnerships, and several of them are participating in the event today, providing their services."

Those services also include mobile food and clothing drives.

"Our Operation Rescue mobile clothing unit is back there with about 2,000 pieces of clothing for those who need clothing, Beikman said. "We're here to step up in their time of need, and we're going to always be here in their time of need."

Congressman Juan Ciscomani was also in attendance, bringing his family to help Gospel Rescue Mission hand out meals.

"I love coming here every year," Ciscomani said. "I’ve got around me some of my kids. "I always like to show up and volunteer, pass out the food, and do whatever they ask us to do. It’s a great time of year to be able to give."

At the end of their meal, Walston reflected on his life and family.

I'm thankful for all of these wonderful volunteers here today," Walston said. I am thankful for the donations that come through here, and I am thankful for the love that God put in each one of our hearts that love one another unconditionally."

He looked at his daughter and smiled.

"She's learning the reason for Thanksgiving, of being out here to help people that need help and stuff," Walston stated. "So it's pretty amazing to have everybody here."