REGINA, Sask. — More than 500 meals had been served by late Friday afternoon as Souls Harbour Rescue Mission welcomed people to its free Thanksgiving supper, with organizers expecting the final count could reach over 600.
The dining hall at the Gerri Carroll Hope Centre on Angus Street was still busy nearly two hours after serving began at 3 p.m. More than 20 volunteers had arrived earlier to prepare food, decorate the room and help make the annual celebration possible.
“It has been so busy,” said Anthony Byamukama, the mission’s fundraising and development officer. “We are still looking at estimates because we've been so busy, but we've already served over 500 meals. So it's most likely that we may even go up past 600 meals today.”
The turnout was approaching the roughly 630 meals served in some previous years. Byamukama said support from donors helped ensure guests could enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, including turkeys donated by Universal Collision Centre and 40 pumpkin pies provided through a community Facebook group.
The meal is one of three major holiday gatherings hosted by Souls Harbour each year, alongside Easter and Christmas. The organization also serves free hot meals on weekdays, but its holiday suppers offer a chance for people to celebrate together during a time when loneliness and financial pressure can be especially difficult.
“There are a lot more members of our community who may not have that opportunity to celebrate and have food with their family,” Byamukama said. “And this is one way of us coming together as a family and celebrating and giving thanks.”
Souls Harbour’s roots in Regina stretch back to 1990, when founder Gerri Carroll began serving vulnerable people from her basement with little more than a coffee pot and makeshift seating. A separate ministry launched by Ken and Michelle Porter later focused on long-term addiction recovery. The organizations joined together in 2007 to form Souls Harbour Rescue Mission.
Today, the mission operates from the Gerri Carroll Hope Centre, which opened in 2018 and houses services beyond its meal program, including an emergency men’s shelter, clothing assistance, affordable housing and other support for people facing hardship.
The Thanksgiving supper reflects the same community-driven approach that has sustained the organization for decades. Volunteers worked alongside staff, while donations of food and money helped cover the cost of feeding hundreds of people.
Byamukama thanked the people and organizations who contributed, saying the mission depends on that support to continue its work throughout the year.
“We continue to rally the community, call upon everybody to continue supporting our work that we do because our donors are helping us change lives,” he said.
