3 months ago
Cheers greeted people receiving food at New Hope International's annual "Feed the City" program.
Program director Linda Thomas says they provided food to 1,714 families, almost 9,000 people. Last year, she says they fed 1,559 families.
"It's nice that they're trying to help us knowing that the economy's bad. Food costs done went up, they're cutting food stamps, they're cutting everything," said Danyell Lewis.Volunteers say people lined up as early a 6 a.m. on Saturday creating lines that wrapped around the church.
This year workers manned more tables to streamline the process. Program director Linda Thomas says after the early crowd, people moved in and out within minuets.
"Cause everybody ain't able to buy, but you know some are able to buy, but the one's that can't this'll help them," said Norma Jean Lewis.
After about two hours church organizers say they ran out of the turkeys they had on site, but that didn't stop them. They then started handing out vouchers to give people a chance to pick one up later.
Thomas says the church handed out some extra bags along the church's bus route and would donate some to other groups as well.
"People have been in tears because when they get to the point when they've got to come and get food from here they really are just feeling down on their luck and feeling like maybe this is the end of the road," said Thomas."Just the last few years the economy's been so hard we know it's our responsibility to reach out to those and bless those. We've been fortunate enough to be blessed so we want to reach out in the community and do the same," Bishop Jeff Poole, the church's pastor.
Louise Gibson, like many other headed out without peaking inside her bag. She says regardless of what she finds inside, the spirit of generosity behind the it makes her grateful.
"It really doesn't matter, I just appreciate it," said Gibson.
