Helping Hands Served Out a Piece of Mind

This year Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits  have been reduced $11 per person and $36 for a family of four per month, according to Jerry Coleman, vice president of Family Promise of Lower Bucks.

Having a job does not guarantee a hot meal on the table every day and that makes the Thanksgiving holiday a little more stressful for many.

It cost about $49 for all of the ingredients involved in cooking up a Thanksgiving feast, according to Coleman.

On Saturday Family Promise of Lower Bucks, Calvary Baptist Church and other congregations teamed up to help feed those in need.

It was the first Thanksgiving Give-A-Way provided by Family Promise of Lower Bucks and was put together in two weeks with the help of many who donated time money and resources.

Calvary Baptist Church on Green Lane in Bristol hosted the Thanksgiving Give-A-Way give in the big red barn building and in addition prepared a warm breakfast for over 400 people.

All that was needed to receive a turkey meal was proof of unemployment or welfare, receiving S.S.I. Disability, Iraq or Afghanistan veteran or on active service.

The meals provided by the church were for everyone.

As folks collected their turkey dinners provided to them by Family Promise of Lower Bucks,  they headed over for breakfast served with a smile.

An appreciation of kindness filled the barn.

Especially for Ed Kramer of Bristol Township and his wife.

“In 2009 I had a stroke and now I am disabled,” said Kramer. “We have been struggling.”

Because Kramer’s wife works they are not eligible for help.

“The government keeps taking away,” said Kramer. “I always worked until my stroke.”

The Family Promise of Lower Bucks Thanksgiving Give-A-Way is one of the few places they found help.

“It’s good because you don’t have to be on welfare to get help,” said Kramer. “There’s not much out there.”

Veteran, Frank McGorry, of Falls Township is on a limited pension living with his mother.

“My mom is having Thanksgiving dinner and this will help her out,” said McGorry.

Nicole Anderson, 30, of Bristol Township, is a single mother with two young boys. Although she is employed, money is tight. She arrived early hoping to get a meal for her family. And she did.

Job loss brought Cathy Brewington, of Bristol Township to the table.

“I lost my job in August and was just hired back,” said Brewington.

“This is a great program and I am appreciative,” said Brewington. “Now I will have a nice Thanksgiving dinner and I get to have a nice meal now with my family.”

There were 220 turkey meals given to families on Saturday.

Between Calvary Baptist Church Senior Pastor Dan Young and Family Promise of Lower Bucks they will make sure the other 30 meals are delivered to those who were unable to come out.

Family Promise of Lower Bucks collaborates within the local community helping homeless families with children by providing shelter, meals and a wide range of services helping the families toward self- sufficiency.

For information on Family Promise of Lower Bucks go to: http://www.fplb.org