Outreach group in Saskatoon preparing for big Christmas dinner

Christmas is around the corner and with that comes a lot of presents and full bellies, but not everyone has the luxury of enjoying a hot meal.

That’s why the Friendship Inn in Saskatoon is making sure the city’s most vulnerable get a plate as well.

The organization is hosting its annual Christmas dinner.

“We’re preparing up to 1,200 turkey dinners for that day,” said Sandra Kary, Executive Director of the Friendship Inn, on the CKOM Morning Show.

“Christmas is a day that we want to be really mindful of people that are coming through our doors, because sometimes this might be the only meal they might get.”

Read more:

• A Christmas dinner: 60 turkeys, 45L of gravy, 2,700 volunteer hrs
• $1.2M needed for warming centers, winter navigation in Saskatoon
• Advocates rally for Saskatoon’s unhoused in front of city hall

The dinner takes place on Christmas Day with close to 1,200 plates of food being prepared. The organization is asking for food donations to help out.

“(We’re) happy to get turkeys, and potatoes and carrots,” Kary said. “We would use it all.”

Each plate costs around $6, bringing the total cost of all 1,200 plates over $7,000. 

The organization is also accepting money and winter clothing donations like, “jackets, toques, mitts, gently used items that really helps our guests,” Kary explained.

Organizations are also helping out around the province, like the Souls Harbour Rescue Mission in Regina.