Season of Giving: Local church, volunteers hand out hundreds of meals before Christmas

“As a church, what we really aim to do is to love our neighbors just as Jesus taught us to and to love them well, which, the only way you can figure that out is if you are putting yourself in the position of your neighbors and trying to determine what they need and seeking to meet those needs,” Roe said.

“Hunger is a huge problem in our community and as a church, that’s just one of the needs that we meet,” he said.

The dinner kits came with a 16-pound turkey and all the sides that a recipient can prepare for Christmas. Cars lined around the church Sunday afternoon and about 100 volunteers hustled to the vehicles to give the food. Those waiting in line had to register before Sunday, and church staff said there was a waitlist on top of the 350 people who registered first.

Volunteer Katie Wolford said she came out Sunday to help people.

“We always believe in just loving people and showing God’s love in a practical way and what better to give them a huge turkey with all the fixings, just what resembles a feast at home,” Wolford said. “Having a table set, to really have that abundance and just love others as well, I think it’s beautiful.”

She said while the holidays are a joyous time for many, others are in need and its important to her that they don’t feel alone.

“What I really love is that we offer prayer as well and some people may be in a hurry, but others really get to take the time so that we can truly just love on them and be there for them and let us pray for them,” Wolford said. “I know the holidays can be a really hard time for a lot of people whether they lost loved ones, they’re grieving, whatever that may look like, it’s a pause in the day on a Sunday afternoon to love on them.”

Roe said the church has had a mission for 25 years to make something that seemed impossible for local families possible and the people who signed up for the meals Sunday were from all over the Miami Valley region.

He said donations from the congregation and contributions from Dorothy Lane Market, Kroger and James Capital Alliance helped make the giveaway possible.