Christmas food box helpers sought
First Presbyterian’s annual initiative to feed the needy draws volunteers of all ages.
First Presbyterian Church of Rome is issuing a call-out for volunteers this weekend to fill hundreds of Christmas food boxes for the needy.
Rome Mayor Jamie Doss, whose father was one of the founders of the decadesold annual event, heads up the initiative with Dan Pate. It’s based in the church’s mammoth King’s Hall, 101 E. Third Ave.
Doss said they plan to set up Saturday about 8:30 a.m. and be ready to start around 10 a.m. bringing in the thousands of pounds of food. At 6:30 p.m. Sunday, helpers of all ages will fill the boxes from a list. Anyone who wants to pitch in should just show up.
“Saturday morning we’ll have a chicken biscuit for them. Sunday night, we’ll have pizza,” Doss said.
Volunteers last year filled 650 boxes with a selection of fresh and packaged food, including a frozen chicken and a Bible.
“We try to put in enough for a family of four for a week,” Doss said. “Then we pray over the boxes, and we have our prayer warriors there when the families pick them up.”
Many of the volunteers return again to help with the distribution, which starts at 7 a.m. Monday at the church.
Families are qualified through Good Neighbor Ministries and get a card to exchange for a box of food. The nonprofit organization staffed by volunteers from 21 local churches is open from 9 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday, at 208 E. Second St.