GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) — Lawndale Baptist Church is taking its Feed the 5,000 Thanksgiving tradition to western North Carolina this year.
For 16 years, they have hosted the event at their church.
Lawndale Baptist Church’s Administrative and Missions pastor Jimmy Jackson said he went to the Swannanoa area just days after Helene hit and saw the damage left behind.
He said the church felt called to serve the hot meals there this Thanksgiving to families in need
“With so many homes just swept off their foundation and so many people in temporary housing not having the ability to cook their own meals or anything like that … this was an opportunity for us to be able to bless those who have just been devastated over the last two months,” Jackson said.
Lawndale Baptist Church will set up the Feed the 5000 event at the First Baptist Church of Swannanoa.
Community members will be able to come in and enjoy a hot Thanksgiving meal, ministry and music.
There will also be a drive to distribute food and necessities to community members.
“This coming Monday evening at 5:30 p.m., we’re going to be preparing approximately 300 hot meals. Folks from the community are going to come in, have a seat in their gymnasium,” Jackson said.
The church is sending 32 volunteers to help hand out food. The meals will include turkey and dressing.
Since it’s been a tradition in the Greensboro community for 16 years, the church wants to get the word out about the changes this year.
“We know that there are folks that count on us to have that, but we really just felt like … for this one year that it was it was going to be an opportunity for us to be able to bless those who just have been left with nothing,” Jackson said.
The church has contacted its community partners to let people know their efforts will be in western North Carolina this year. The church has also added it on their website and their phone system.
“We have a list … I don’t think that we have posted it yet, but we do have a list of other churches and organizations in the community that are doing the exact same thing,” Jackson said.
That day, there will be church staff at the church to redirect people who may still come to the church for the Feed the 5000 event. Church staff will notify them of the change.
