Food wasn't the only thing given away Thursday. At Martin Luther King Junior Elementary School in South Fresno, toys were distributed -- hundreds of them.More >>
FRESNO, Calif. (KMPH) -
A shortage of food is letting an East Fresno church show the true spirit of Christmas.
Dozens lined up Thursday at the SouthPoint Foursquare Church to receive free turkeys, bags of oranges, additional side dishes and poinsettia plants, but this almost didn't happen.
According to the church, Community Food Bank, which usually gives the church food to distribute at Christmastime, said it could not do that this year because it had no more.
That's when church members decided to do something about it, says church member Loreen Paynter. "So the community as well as the church got together and we were able to get 153 turkeys and the meals to go with it, and so we're going to be giving those away."
The effort did not go unappreciated by the many who showed up to receive that food, like Helen Ramirez. Ramirez's husband died recently and she now takes care of her two disabled sons by herself.
"I thank the Lord," said a grateful Ramirez, "because they're doing this and I just pray that the Lord just keeps on blessing this church and keeps on being able to help the people in the community because it's a great thing."
Church representatives said many of the donors who made Thursday's food giveaway possible wanted to remain anonymous but did want to remind everyone of the real reason for the season and to wish all a very Merry Christmas.
