Ottawa Mission's Thanksgiving Meal will be its biggest meal ever served
As Thanksgiving approaches, The Ottawa Mission is preparing the most meals it will ever serve.
It's a new reality as food prices soar and basic necessities stretch out of reach for many, leaving some who can no longer afford a turkey dinner.
For weeks, the kitchen at The Ottawa Mission operates all hours to be ready for a massive Thanksgiving crowd.
"We plan on serving about 12,000 meals in total," Executive Chef Ric Watson says. "We’re deboning, cooking and serving about 600 turkeys and right now we have about 500 done. We’re hoping to get another 100 donated. There will be about 2,000 pounds of mashed potatoes, 150 gallons of gravy. It’s just astronomical numbers; it’s our biggest meal we’ve ever had in the history of the Mission.”
Dinners will be delivered throughout the week until Sunday, serving 32 communities across the capital. On Monday, meals will be served to residents at The Ottawa Mission. COVID protocols are still in place, which means for others, food will be served to guests outdoors.
"The people that we’re getting these meals out to and that will come here on Monday to the Mission, they so appreciate it," Watson says. "And we’re talking elderly, we’re talking youth, we’re talking every walk of life people can’t afford to go to the grocery stores and buy a turkey.”
Demand for The Mission’s services is at a historic high. Last year, nearly one million people required a meal as the soaring cost of living stretched budgets and left some having to choose between a hot meal or a warm bed.
"We didn’t realize the incidents of hunger during the pandemic and now post-pandemic was so, so high," says CEO Peter Tilley. "And that’s a statement about what's happening in Ottawa, what’s happening across the country with this inflationary rates like never before. What we’re seeing now is a different face of hunger, a different face of poverty, a different face of people coming into the shelters."
Watson says the dedicated team is prepared to serve every person in the community who needs it.
"This is their Thanksgiving meal and we’re going to make it the best we can make it," he says. "The volunteers are the heartbeat of The Ottawa Mission and we can’t thank them enough,and our donors we can’t thank them enough."
Turkeys can be dropped off at the Ottawa Mission's garage located on Besserer Street, or cash donations can be made online.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
WATCH Dashcam video shows terrifying near-miss on two-lane northern Ontario highway
There were some scary moments for several people on a northern Ontario highway caught on video Thursday after a chain reaction following a truck fire.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.
Here's what 'the hinge' move is, how to do it correctly
When you're picking something up from the floor or bending over to tie your shoe laces, you're performing "the hinge move," according to movement trainers.
Tips to make a house or apartment safe and accessible for older adults living at home
Here's a summary of tips from the U.S. National Institute on Aging and AARP, which offers a free room-by-room guide with practical suggestions for older adults living independently.
Average hourly wage in Canada now $34.95: StatCan
Average hourly wages among Canadian employees rose to $34.95 on a year-over-year basis in April, a 4.7 per cent increase, according to a Statistics Canada report released Friday morning.
'I may have some nightmares:' Man survives being bitten by 2 sharks in Bahamas
A man who was bitten by two sharks in the Bahamas said Thursday he's 'thankful that I'm here' while sharing his story of survival.
Barron Trump declines to serve as an RNC delegate
Former U.S. President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron Trump, has declined to serve as a delegate at this summer’s Republican National Convention, according to a senior Trump campaign adviser and a statement from Melania Trump's office.