More than 500 people experiencing homelessness, or living in unstable conditions walked inside the San Diego Rescue Mission downtown shelter and sat down for a warm Easter meal.  “We don’t do this every day. We only do it around the big holidays of Thanksgiving, Easter and Christmas,” said Donnie Dee, the president and CEO of the San Diego Rescue Mission. Volunteers cooked all week to prepare 550 pounds of roasted pork loin, 230 pounds of potato au gratin, 220 pounds of garden salad, 240 pounds of steamed veggies and more than 1,000 pieces of pie.  “We know that there are people that are sleeping on the streets that aren’t going to go to church, that aren’t going to be a part of any service,” said Dee. “And this is a way that we can celebrate the one that gave his life for all of us, we can celebrate with our neighbors.” The shelter, addiction and housing resource offered more than just food – guests took advantage of free haircuts, hot showers, pet care and medical services. Volunteers also gave out free backpacks, socks, hygiene kits and water bottles.  “All of those are strategic,” said Dee. “Because hopefully they’ll get to the place where they feel comfortable here and they’ll want to get some help. The opposite of addiction is connection. So today we get the chance to connect with people living on the street.” Guests had to wear a name tag to enter – a step that Dee hopes restores humanity and dignity to those who might otherwise feel forgotten.  “We’re trying to do this to bring some hope back in their life,” said Dee. “And our hope and our prayer is someone will have such a good experience they’ll want to take a positive step forward and out of homelessness.” In 2024, the Rescue Mission helped 1,774 people receive emergency shelter, and connected 331 people to a permanent home. “I think my favorite part of this whole meal is just seeing the smiles on peoples faces,” said Dee. “You know you’re not smiling a lot if you’re sleeping on the sidewalk or under a bridge. There’s live music, there’s a chance to stay as long as you want, eat as much as you want and it’s a spirit of celebration, and that’s what I love about this.” ...read more read less