Work is underway in prepping food for members of the city’s vulnerable population at the Salvation Army’s Journey to Life Centre.

Executive Director Gary Ferguson says this year says normally they expect around 300 people but cost of living increases and the number of people showing up in the encampments in the city has him thinking it could be quite higher.

“The dinner is open to anybody who is in need. Anybody who just feels lonely during this holiday time and wants to come in, sit down, have a meal and have some fellowship.”

Feeding such a large number of people requires a lot of assistance, enter members of Thunder Bay Fire Rescue.

Fire Captain Kevin Anderson explains helping the Salvation Army get ready is an act of giving back to the community which stretches back decades.

“This is twenty-six years we’ve been doing this and we come back every year and never have a problem getting people to volunteer, again its their off days to come in, so they’re very happy to do it.”

That assistance from the fire fighters has organizers feeling confident they will have all the food prepared and cooked in time for the meal, which will mark the first year since the beginning of the pandemic the Salvation Army has hosted a sit down meal, which takes place this Sunday starting at 12:00 p.m.