Hundreds of volunteers in Durham spent Christmas Eve preparing for the big crowds that showed up at the Durham Rescue Mission Monday for its annual holiday event.
The organization served up 150 turkeys and 80 gallons of corn and beans to visitors. They also gave away 12,000 toys to local children.
"If it wasn't for this, a lot of people would basically have nothing," mother Christine Miller said.
"It's really a blessing, everybody just have a blessed Christmas," said Alice Campbell, who got a brand new bike from the Mission Monday.
The Durham Rescue Mission said it is also poised to help even more families in the future.
The group is opening a new Center for Hope in late January. The 34,000 square feet building is outfitted with new beds for the homeless, classrooms and a kitchen with an open dining room that will host future annual events.
"We will actually be able to let people go inside," Durham Rescue Mission Gail Mills said. "We could actually do toy distribution inside."
Also on Monday, the Raleigh Rescue Mission served meals to local families in need.
Several volunteers took meals to those unable to leave their homes. The Raleigh Rescue Mission said some elderly, shut in, and low income families just can't make it out to the mission so they bring the meal to them.
The "Gobbles to Go" program expects to deliver about 750 meals to those in need this Christmas.
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