Epworth holds Community Thanksgiving food basket giveaway

Epworth United Methodist Church held its annual Thanksgiving food distribution Nov. 24.

Members of the community were able to take home a Thanksgiving food box with turkey, chicken or other food donated by businesses around the area. The remaining Thanksgiving boxes will be distributed from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 26.

“The Epworth Food Ministry obtained 400,000 pounds of food last year from donations,” said Mike Tyler, coordinator of the Epworth Food Program. “Restaurants give a lot of donations, and we rescue food from grocery stores. Mountaire just donated 75 boxes to feed 75 families.”

The Epworth United Methodist Church soup kitchen is open every Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m., when the community can enjoy a hot meal and fellowship. The food pantry is open noon to 2 p.m., Sundays; 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., Tuesdays; and 2 to 4 p.m., Thursdays, when the community can obtain a box of food.

“Last year, the Good Samaritan Ministry food pantry helped 12,000 people,” said Good Samaritan Ministry leader David Streit. “This year, it will be 14,000.”

“Today went great,” said coordinator of food donations Dotti Outland. “We fed a lot of people today with the soup kitchen, with the Thanksgiving food boxes, and the Good Samaritan Food Pantry boxes distribution. People lined up really early to get the food. We are very pleased.”

For more information about Epworth’s Food Pantry go to epworth.faith/food-ministry.