Bradenton church shows thanks by feeding those in need

Moments before their ninth annual Thanksgiving dinner to feed the homeless and needy surrounding their neighborhood at 1803 13th St. W., Bradenton on Sunday, Mt. Gilead Seventh-day Adventist Church’s volunteers squeezed tightly together for a group photograph.

Interestingly, despite the work that lay ahead to serve what amounted to nearly 1,300 free meals of turkey and chicken, mashed potatoes, rice, green beans, macaroni and cheese, salad and rolls, these 30 or 40 volunteers were laughing and cheering and had no signs of weariness on their faces from hours of prep work.

In fact, people could be heard yelling, “Wait for me!” Seemingly, no one wanted to be left out of this particular photograph, which annually records the faithful servers.

Church member Tomeica Stephenson, attending the event with son Benjamin, 2, explained the mystery as to why the servers seemed more excited than the people waiting to eat the hot Thanksgiving meal on the church grounds.

“This is how we show our thankfulness to God,” Stephenson said. “By giving.”

She explained that eight years ago, when church member Claudia Henry tried to think of a way to show God that she and her church brothers and sisters were thankful for their blessings at Thanksgiving time, they decided that serving people who are hurting and in need of a hot meal at Thanksgiving was superior to anything they could do within their four walls.

“Faith without works is dead,” church member Garry Andersen said. “You have to do the work to help the people which helps them see who God is and what His will is. You start by being kind and helpful to everyone.”

Others have been drawn to contributing to the church’s Thanksgiving Dinner because they also want to express their thanks at Thanksgiving this way.

For example, according to Andersen, Holli’s Quarter a Cup Cafe at 5911 53rd Ave. E., Bradenton, has been donating mashed potatoes to the church dinner for three or four years. The owners and staff provide enough for about 300 portions.

“Holli peels them with her family, workers and friends the night before, and she comes in at like 3 a.m the day of the dinner to boil the potatoes, mash them and make the gravy,” Andersen said.

Besides the food, the church on Sunday also gave away clothes and had nurses and the owner present from the nearby Suncoast College of Health who educated many who came on diabetes and smoking cessation education as well as offering blood pressure checks.

“They were very receptive,” Thelma Laws, a student at Suncoast College of Health, said of the 1,300 people who came from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bradenton’s Lisa Luna, one of those who received a meal, said she and her family enjoyed not having to worry about Sunday’s meal with a hot Thanksgiving dinner waiting for them at the church.

“I think it’s wonderful they do this,” said Luna. “This church is doing a marvelous job.”

This story was originally published November 19, 2017 at 8:42 PM with the headline "Bradenton church shows thanks by feeding those in need."