By Eagle Newswire
The poor will always be among us. People wonder if there is anything they can do to help end the suffering of others. While no one person can solve the complex problems that cause homelessness, there is one simple thing everyone can do to help brighten the Thanksgiving of people less fortunate than themselves. Grocery shop for the Mission by adding an extra frozen turkey and holiday meal ingredients to your cart over the next few weeks.
Join John 3:16 Mission by helping the Mission meet its goal of getting 4,000 turkeys and fixings to give to those who can’t afford Thanksgiving this year. The Mission is halfway there, but desperately need 2,500 more turkeys.
Every day of every year the Mission prepares meals for the poor and homeless among us. In addition to those everyday meals, the Mission plans to serve Thanksgiving dinner starting on Tuesday, November 26 at 6:30 p.m. Those holiday dinners will be served every night for the next four nights. In addition, the Mission will also be giving out food boxes to more than 4,000 struggling families.
The need here is staggering. It will take some 44 tons of food to fill the Thanksgiving food baskets needed this year. Their goal is to collect more than 4,000 turkeys. Some of the turkeys will be distributed in those food baskets, while others will be cooked for the holiday meals being provided during Thanksgiving week.
“We are asking everyone to go shopping for us. Just add a turkey and some extra holiday food items to your shopping carts. Then we will put those same items into the food baskets we give to people who are desperately poor,” says John 3:16 Mission president and senior pastor, Rev. Steve Whitaker.
“We absolutely need your help. Please join us as we work to put food on the tables of those who literally have to depend on the kindness of strangers during this holiday season.”
How exactly can we each demonstrate an attitude of gratitude, asks Rev. Whitaker? “By taking action and doing something to help others. John 3:16 Mission challenges you to take this simple action. Purchasing some extra groceries to share is an easy way to give a stranger something to be thankful for this holiday season.”
The Mission will be accepting donations of frozen turkeys and nonperishable food items such as: stuffing, instant potatoes, gravy mix, mac & cheese, canned sweet potatoes, canned corn, canned green beans, canned fruit, cranberry sauce, pie filling or Jell-O at numerous locations starting Saturday, November 2nd:
- John 3:16 Mission at 506 N. Cheyenne Ave. 7 am to 7 pm Mon- Sun through Nov. 22
- Family & Youth Center at 2027 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. 9 am to 5 pm Mon – Fri through Nov. 22
- Under the Sun Garden Centers at 51st Street and Harvard Avenue and 91st Street and Sheridan Avenue during business hours.
Additional food drives will take place:
- November 23rd –
Walmart at:
- 4720 E. 21st Tulsa
- 4404 S. Peoria Ave., Tulsa
- 12912 E. 86th N, Owasso
- 4851 W. Houston St., Tulsa
Thanksgiving food baskets for struggling Tulsa area residents will be distributed on: November 25, 26 and 27 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. & 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. each day at John 3:16 Mission’s Family & Youth Center, 2027 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. (Must show photo ID and proof of residence with address and name (utility bill/lease agreements, etc.) and proof of employment (current paystub).
Distribution is first-come, first-served, One basket per household.
In addition, the Mission serves a sit-down Thanksgiving Banquet for the Homeless at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26 in New Life Hall, at 506 N. Cheyenne Ave.
John 3:16 Mission encourages individuals, churches, businesses and other organizations to take part in this year’s Thanksgiving food drive.
