It's that time of year again! The leaves are changing, the weather is getting colder and we're drawing nearer to one of our favorite events! No, I'm not talking about the Iron Bowl. I'm talking about our annual statewide Thanksgiving food distribution - THANKSERVING DAY! Every year on the weekend before Thanksgiving, our staff and our partners gear up for the mad rush of collecting, packaging and delivering over 4,000 Thanksgiving meals to families all over our city and throughout our state!
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| Tracy at his best |
As far south as Montgomery and as far north as Huntsville, we utilize our partnerships and relationships with over 20 churches to capacitate and facilitate our very large Thanksgiving outreach event. Over the couple of years, this event has grown from a distribution of around 1,000 meals to this year distributing over 4,000 meals. The only way we are able to accomplish such a feet from our large warehouse with a small staff is to work in conjunction with about 1,000 volunteers, 23 distribution sites, 40+ pastors and church leadership and several schools and churches delivering their bounty from very successful canned food drives! All of that working together provides us the opportunity to distribute over 4,000 meals to reach 4,000 families in partnership with their local church.
One such partnership is one that has been forming and functioning for several years between Oak Mountain Presbyterian, Urban Hope Community Church and Christian Service Mission. CSM sends the food, Urban Hope and Oak Mountain pack the food and then in partnership with Fairfield City Schools, Urban Hope distributes the food to the community after a Gospel presentation from pastor Alton Hardy of Urban Hope.
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| Turkey and grocery distribution from the dock |
Everything that we do at CSM is to promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ. If there is one thing that we are thankful for during this season of giving thanks, it's that our Savior came and died for us and for those that are packing these meals, those that are distributing these meals and those that are receiving these meals. There is no greater calling than the one that God has called us to love our neighbors and make disciples. Thanksgiving is an awesome opportunity to do both on the same day!
Connecting resources to needs through the local church... now that is responsible care. What good is a bunch of food to feed 4,000 families for a day, unless it is used alongside of the Gospel that feeds families for eternit? A huge shout out to all of the people and partners that have helped make this initiative possible, and may God continue to bless our efforts and multiply his kingdom through CSM!
