Pueblo Rescue Mission serves nearly 900 Thanksgiving meals

Joe Sena once enjoyed a Thanksgiving dinner at Union Depot served by volunteers from the Rescue Mission.

This Thanksgiving Day — he’s a volunteer cook.

“When I came through this line the first time, I came in here and I wasn’t homeless but I felt so guilty and so immersed in shame and regret,” Sena said.

Before he began volunteering, Sena said he spent a few years in prison for using and selling drugs. But Sena says he’s a changed man — and being in the kitchen, serving those less fortunate, seems to be where he belongs.

“I love to cook for people. I love to just help people. And it really burdens me, and it hurts my heart when I can’t,” he said.

Sena barely had a quiet moment at the Union Depot kitchen Thursday afternoon, preparing trays of food for the nearly 900 people who stopped by for a meal, complete with all the Thanksgiving trimmings.

“It brings me so much joy and delight to see somebody really enjoy food,” Sena said.

Pastor Greg Coolidge, director of the Rescue Mission, said the annual dinner attracts not only homeless people but also those looking for a place to go.

“I would have been home just watching TV today,” said Carol McCreary.

Jim Gonzales coins himself a regular at the Thanksgiving dinner.

“I’ve been coming to this festivity for a number of years now and I’m always elated to see former friends because I lived out on the street for a while, too,” Gonzales said.

Coolidge was expecting up to 1,800 people this year but says just shy of 900 folks dropped by for dinner. He says so many people wanted to volunteer this year, he actually had to turn volunteers away.