City Rescue Mission hopes to aid hungry Oklahomans

The Rev. Tom Jones, the mission's president and CEO, said the initiative has several components, including the faith-based shelter's goal of feeding about 675,000 people by Dec. 31.

Jones said he'd like to see the shelter provide food to more than 1 million people during 2013 and that goal may be accomplished through City Rescue Mission's new food center. The poor and homeless may visit the center to select nutritious food to feed their families in a grocery store atmosphere. Jones said a grand opening for the nonprofit's Impact Hunger Food Resource Center will be soon.

Jones and the mission's staff hosted a Monday gathering for the shelter's residents and local church congregations who supported the mission's efforts to aid the homeless and down and out. About 250 people gathered blankets and lawn chairs on a grassy knoll in the center of the mission's parking lot, where Christian recording artist Charlie Hall led a stirring set of praise and worship songs.

The keynote speaker for the event, preacher Francis Chan, encouraged the crowd to conquer their fears about spreading the Gospel and Christ's love.

Chan, founder of Cornerstone Church in Simi Valley, Calif., and Eternity Bible College, said that he is currently reaching out to nonbelievers living in the inner city of San Francisco. He is a member of the board of directors for both the Children's Hunger Fund and World Impact.