We were grateful to come together as a church family on Saturday, Nov. 22 to distribute 200 free Thanksgiving meals to our neighbors in need. Even after the government shutdown ended, many families in our community are still feeling the impact, and the need was unmistakable.

Pastor Miriam Blair shared that this year brought unprecedented demand in the 14 years we’ve operated our annual Thanksgiving Box Giveaway. Many of the people we served were first-time recipients. Our weekly food pantry also saw demand triple during the shutdown.

Each household received a turkey, a box filled with traditional Thanksgiving meal items, a bag of potatoes and a $10 gift card to Baker’s grocery stores to help complete their holiday table. The day was a powerful reminder of why we continue this ministry—to show up for our community, especially when times are tough. We’re grateful for the opportunity to support our neighbors and walk alongside them during this season of gratitude and need.