Thanks For Building Community!

By Austin Mall

In light of the recent tragedies around the world and especially in Paris, it is easy to grow in gratitude for the many blessings in Tallahassee, Florida. But oftentimes, these blessings can lead us to overlook the tragedies in our own community, such as the hungry families living close by. With Thanksgiving coming up on Thursday, November 26, Tallahassee Reports wants to take time to share what several local faith-based communities do to serve locally and spread the Thanksgiving spirit.

Led by their women’s group, Celebration Baptist Church in Killearn serves meals to around 40 families. While the women’s group leads this outreach program, all participate in the effort. Kids color on the boxes that carry the meals, and the entire church prays over the food as part of a prayer service held before food is sent to families in need. Celebration Baptist Church works in collaboration with Leon County Schools to find families in need.

St. Peter’s Anglican Church on Thomasville Rd delivers baskets of food to Boys Town.

Good Shepherd Catholic Church, also on Thomasville Rd, prepares over 1200 meals for people in need. 800 of these meals are for individuals and around 300 are for families. Preparing these meals is led by the Men of Good Shepherd ministry (MOGS).

Wildwood Church on Ox Bottom Rd opens up their “Our Father” Store to provide turkeys and other foods to families in need.

Congregation Shomrei Torah located on Kerry Forest Pkwy donates food for the Shelter.

Faith Lutheran Church, also on Kerry Forest Pkwy, invites college students, who do not have the opportunity to go home for Thanksgiving, to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving feast. Pastor Joel Russow of the Lutheran Church added that on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, their congregation hosts a pot luck dinner to foster fellowship. Pastor Joel commented that a great aspect of Thanksgiving is to “reflect on blessings, even in tough times.”

Tallahassee Reports recognizes that those community outreach programs mentioned are only the tip of the iceberg in Tallahassee. Additionally, while some of these are specifically for Thanksgiving, many are ongoing.

*If your local group or organization does something to build community, contact us, and we will do what we always do: help spread awareness to Tallahassee.