1,000 Families Fed Free Thanksgiving Meal in Outreach Inspired by Jesus Feeding the 5,000
One thousand families are picking up free Thanksgiving supplies in Greensboro, North Carolina as part of an outreach inspired by Jesus' feeding of the 5,000.
"Just as Jesus fed the hungry as He was ministering to them, we are reaching out to the hungry in our community," reads a message from Lawndale Baptist Church of Greensboro.
The annual "Feeding the 5,000" event kicks off Tuesday as families drive-thru the church parking lot to receive a frozen turkey, a $25 Food Lion gift card for food, and literature.
The church is providing enough food in each bag to feed a family of five.
"Jesus, during His early ministry, fed over 5,000 at a teaching he did as told in Matthew 14:13-21," Pastor Jimmy Jackson told the Christian Post. "As Christians, we believe that we are to meet the needs of our community and be a good neighbor, just as Jesus did and taught."
"One of the ways we do this is to provide this event each year. We also provide a Shepherd's Shelf food pantry each week as well," he added.
The church's former pastor, Joe Giaritelli, started the giveaway 15 years ago as part of an outdoor event with worship that ended with handing out boxes of food.
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, the church had to switch gears and made it a drive-thru event.
Church members specifically give into a fund that pays for the turkey and all the fixins for families.
"The biggest thing we want our community to take away from this event is (that) Jesus loves them more than they could ever fathom," Jackson told CP.
He added, "We do this event each year in the name of Christ and for His glory. We also want our community to know that we, Lawndale Baptist, are there for them and love them. If our community sees us modeling Christ, Christ gets all the glory."
