Capital City Rescue Mission prepares for annual Christmas Day feast

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Tomorrow, more than 3,000 people are expected to enjoy a festive meal at the Capital City Rescue Mission on Christmas Day. Volunteers put in a lot of hours to prepare for the celebration.

In an effort to make the day a little more special, families will be afforded the opportunity to pick out a Christmas present from the Mission’s gift center. They have collected and wrapped around 3,000 gifts in preparation.

“We usually get enough that everybody in their family gets a gift, which is really exciting,” said Shelly Wood, the community events liaison at the Capital City Rescue Mission.

According to organizers, here is how much food volunteers have prepared for the annual feast:

• 1600 pounds of ham
• 810 pounds of yams
• 800 pounds of vegetables
• 600 pounds each of mashed potatoes and stuffing

The Christmas celebration starts at 11 a.m. with a chapel service. Dinner will be served from noon until 2 p.m. There will also be snacks, games and holiday gifts. Take out meals will be available as well.