Downtown Rescue Mission seeks community support to refill pantry shelves

HUNTSVILLE — An increased demand for services and food has left the cupboards nearly bare at the Downtown Rescue Mission.

The Huntsville mission, which served 442,070 meals and distributed 3,939 food boxes in 2024, is experiencing a critical shortage of non-perishable food items and is calling on the community for support.

Donations are needed immediately to restock pantry shelves and can be dropped off at the nonprofit at 1400 Evangel Drive in Huntsville, any day of the week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monetary donations are also accepted online at downtownrescuemission.org. 

The Downtown Rescue Mission is a lifeline for people in crisis, providing daily meals and emergency shelter 24/7. In addition to meals and shelter, the Mission offers life transformation programs, medical care and outreach to men, women and children. The food shortage directly threatens its ability to meet the nutritional needs of those they serve. 

Serving the area since 1975, the mission provides emergency shelter, warm meals, medical services, Bible-based life recovery programs and more to those in need within the community. 

Most critical needs:

• Boxed macaroni and cheese 
• Bags of rice 
• Cake mixes 
• Canned meats including tuna, vienna sausages and SPAM 
• Canned vegetables including mixed vegetables, sweet peas, carrots, greens, peas, beans 
• Cereal 
• Chef Boyardee canned products 
• Chili (Pull top cans preferred) 
• Chips 
• Cookies 
• Crackers 
• Dry beans and peas 
• Oatmeal 
• Pancake Mix 
• Pasta 
• Pasta sauce 
• Peanut butter 
• Pop-Tarts 
• Rice-A-Roni 
• Soups (Pull top cans preferred) 
• Syrup