ATWATER -- A small church in Atwater is helping in a big way this Thanksgiving.
Members of Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church have been busy cooking turkeys and all the side dishes since last Sunday. But the busy members won't be eating the food they've spent hours cooking.
It's for the needy.
Joyce Ridley, one church member, said a full Thanksgiving dinner will be given away today to anyone who needs it.
"It's free to anyone, but we focus on the elderly or homebound," Ridley said.
Last year the church fed about 190 people, but this year the congregation is cooking enough food for 300 people.
The fixin's were passed out to members last Sunday, and the members then got busy cooking. All the finished dishes will be brought back to the church early today, ready for hungry people.
Ridley said the church also delivers some of the meals to those who can't get to the church, but only in the Atwater area.
Sammie Carter, another church member, has been participating in the Thanksgiving meal giveaway for about 15 years.
"We are trying to reach out to the community," Carter said. He added that most of the food comes from donations from the church members, but some food comes from the Merced County Food Bank.
Carter said the church gives away food to anyone who needs it on the second Wednesday of every month. This year has seen more and more people partaking of the free food.
"People are hurting now, they really are," Carter said.
At Christmas, the church uses donations from members to make up Christmas baskets, which are filled with food, and, if there are children in a family, toys for them.
Despite all the work the church members already do to help others, Ridley harbors even higher hopes.
"If we had more resources we could do a lot more," she said. "There is really a need for this right now."
Reporter Carol Reiter can be reached at (209) 385-2486 or creiter@mercedsun-star.com.
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