Preparations for 650 meals -- the largest number yet for the Raleigh Rescue Mission annual Christmas Eve dinner -- started today.

Cooks got started slicing up the ham inside the mission's kitchen where all the food will be prepared while outside donations continued to pour in.

"You know, I was really surprised it's been about 400 meals for the last couple of years. So to see it jump that much just lets us know there's a great need and there are more people in need," Leslie Currie of the Raleigh Rescue Mission said.

All meals will be delivered to the elderly, disabled and needy families. So about eight more volunteers are on scheduled to work Christmas Eve.

Mission reps say they have enough turkeys but could use more blankets and jackets that are size extra-large and up.