Reidsville Firefighters Receive A Special Lunch From New Generation Free Worship Ministries

By ADMIN-RAS | Published February 2, 2024 | No Comments

Annual Countywide Food Drive News Release • A. Fish • 2/1/2024

Reidsville firefighters reeive a special lunch for all they do for the community from New Generation Free Worship Ministries Pastor Alicia Parker, left, and Tonya Hooper, Cornerstone Christian Center Outreach Director Tonya Hooper. Beginning Feb. 1, all county fire stations will serve as drop-off points for donations to the 14^th annual Countywide Food Drive.

With recent cold weather fronts sending temperatures into the teens and single digits, and more people than ever needing assistance from local food pantries to feed their families, this year’s 14^th annual Countywide Food Drive needs more cooperation than ever from the public, said Rockingham Food Coalition Chairman Neil Jacques.

“It is astonishing to see how quickly food disappears from the shelves of the eight local pantries involved in the drive,” he said. All the agencies with pantries say their applications for food have increased over the last yaer.

This year’s food drive kicks off Thursday, Feb. 1, and runs through Saturday, March 31, Jacques noted. The goal this year is 60,000 pounds.

For the past several years when many businesses were closing or having most employees working from home, the coalition managed to meet its yearly goal. But, with the needs soaring throughout the county, Jacques is concerned this year’s efforts will see a decrease in collections.

“Many of those who once conducted food drives or donated to them now are in line at the pantries to get food for their families,” Jacques noted.

The organizing committee has focused throughout January on contacting as many businesses, industries, churches, schools, organizations and individuals to participate in collecting enough food to meet the demands, he said.

“At this time, we expect boxes in 46 churches, 78 businesses and 44 industries. This is in addition to county offices and libraries, and city offices in Reidsville, Eden, Wentworth, Stoneville, Madison and Mayodan,” said Jaques entering his fourth year heading up the parent organization.

A major boost to the committee’s efforts over the past several years has been the participation of all the fire and rescue departments serving as collection points. Jacques said they always have been involved but during the Pandemic when people were encouraged to limit their time in public, donors dropped off food at their neighborhood departments.

This was so successful, Fire Marshall Melissa Joyce has agreed to encourage all the fire chiefs to participate again this year.

Many fire stations will advertise serving as drop sites with announcements on signs in front of their stations. Several times last year, boxes at the stations were filled and had to be emptied prior to the end of the drive.

“If you would like to donate, the fire stations will gladly accept your donation,” Jacques said.

In addition, the three libraries in the county also have boxes for residents to leave food.

“A lot of partners help us collect the food each year,” Jacques said, adding, “We encourage churches, businesses and organizations to do drives within their units.”

“Youth groups such as scout troops also can conduct food drives within their neighborhoods as special service projects,” he said. “It is important to involve our youth because if they learn about helping others at an early age, it usually develops into a lifelong trait.”

“It is heart-warming to see the efforts of so many people to help neighbors in Rockingham County,” Jacques concluded. “The agencies never seem to get tired as they provide for others. The members of our committee are smart, hard workers who strive each year to make the drive larger and better. The churches, businesses and industries that take boxes to fill encourage people to donate. The county and city governments are so benevolent, and many county residents donate so generously to help those in need.”

Anyone wanting to participate by putting a box at their place of business or doing special neighborhood collections should contact Jacques at neilrjacques@outlook.com

When first started 14 years ago, the food drive was the brain child of Blake Dawson and Ann Fish whose goal was to help The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints become more recognizable in the county.

“It was supposed to be for only one year but it was a big success and the five agencies we helped that year asked us to continue it,” Jacques said. “Our goal that first year was 10,000 pounds and we thought that was a lot.”

The agencies involved are: Community Crisis Center, Cooperative Christian Ministries, CORMII, Cornerstone Christian Center, Hands of God, Men and Women in Christ, Rockingham County Veterans Coalition and The Salvation Army.

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