Tamaqua, Schuylkill County — Volunteers from at least three local branches of the Salvation Army are preparing for a holy mission.

They will head to Philadelphia to help first responders when Pope Francis visits the city next weekend.

More than one-million people are expected to flock to the City of Brotherly Love to try to catch a glimpse of the pontiff.

The Salvation Army said at least 100 staff members and volunteers will be distributing about 90,000 meals to police officers, firefighters, paramedics and city officials.

About a dozen of the volunteers are coming from Wilkes-Barre, East Stroudsburg, and Tamaqua.

The volunteers are leaving next Thursday and returning the following Monday.  All of the food and water is being donated to the Salvation Army.

Be sure to join us for “Pope Francis: A Journey of Family, Faith, and the Future”.  That special coverage airs this Saturday at 11 a.m. on WYOU and again this Sunday at 11 a.m. on WBRE.