About 500 people are served a ‘take-and-go’ Easter dinner at the Rescue Mission of Utica.
Utica, N.Y. – We have all felt the impact of the coronavirus over the past month, so as Easter approached this year, with businesses shut down and many people out of work, the meaning of Easter was even more pronounced, especially at the Rescue Mission of Utica.
Rescue Mission of Utica Director of Operations Ernie Talerico says the helping and giving spirit is here within the walls of the mission and throughout this Utica community for that matter, every day of the year, and he says that spirit was definitely alive at the mission on Easter Sunday, “That’s what we do everyday is to provide hope. We are a faith-based organization. We believe heavily in faith and we provide hope and that’s what this day means to us, providing hope to our community and the people we serve.”
Those who needed an Easter Meal came to the mission and received a ‘To-Go’ dinner as the dining room is off limits due to the coronavirus pandemic and the need for social distancing.
Volunteers like Carolyn Carleo of Utica come back each year to the mission on Rutger street to help out on Easter and other holidays.
Carleo says this time we are all living in right now is a tough time for everyone, “I’ve stayed inside, quarantined, it’s driving me crazy because I’m such a social person. But it’s great to get out today and help, but we are taking all the precautions, making sure what we’re doing, what we’re supposed to be doing, and hopefully we’re through this soon.”
Talerico says the mission will serve about 500 meals on this Easter Sunday. He says that’s about average for an Easter Sunday, but he says the mission’s Food Pantry has seen a huge jump in demand for food over the past month. He says the need is up by about 25 percent and says the mission could use some help with non-perishable food items or monetary donations to continue to help those in the community who need it.
If you would like to donate, the Rescue Mission of Utica is taking donations by appointment due to the coronavirus pandemic.
For information, log on to the mission’s website : uticamission.org
