Annual Christmas dinner returns to downtown Troy
TROY, N.Y. » For the past seven years, Billy Carter and his Kingdom Ministries have made it a mission of his to provide a free Christmas dinner and entertainment for those who may be alone on the holiday.
Carter will again host a free community celebration at 3 p.m. Monday at Christ Church, 35 State St.
Carter said Tuesday he continues to host the event because he knows the importance of the holiday and wants to make sure everyone is able to enjoy the special day.
“The No. 1 reason is because it’s Jesus’ birthday,” said Carter. “It’s a day we celebrate Christ. … And then, in church all year long, a lot of times after church got out and everybody would go to their separate houses, I always wondered what do the homeless, what do the less fortunate, what do those who don’t have a place to go do on Christmas?”
Carter said volunteers and donations will allow his group to serve around 300 meals at Christ Church, as well as delivering meals to anyone in need. Volunteers are also expected to drop meals off to senior citizens living in the Burns Apartments in downtown Troy.
Guest’s who attend the free event will be able to enjoy music and entertainment, along with a menu that will include homemade fried chicken, macaroni and cheese, baked ham, mixed vegetables, rice, dressing and gravy, along with bread, beverages and desserts.
Carter said his group also has household items that will be handed out to anyone in need, as well as enough toys for the first 100 children in attendance.
“If we run out, we promise to get kids their gifts,” said Carter. “We’ve been blessed this year with a lot of winter clothes and a lot of household items.”
Carter said something he was able to make the party into even more of a community effort this year, with his group partnering with other local organizations, including the Albany Sarang Fellowship Church in Watervliet, Terra Nova Church in Troy and the Salvation Army.
“So what’s new this year is an increase in partnership to help us put on these events,” said Carter.
Carter said he enjoys being able to provide people with a place to go during the holidays, especially those who may be alone or need help.
“It does my heart good that people are not home alone and that people come that may not have the funds to buy anything, but they leave happy and overflowing with a ton of items to go home with,” said Carter.