ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — There are 750 boxes of Thanksgiving meals with all the fixings, including turkeys and hams, stacked up inside Positive Impact Church this week.
“What we found out is a lot of people need a little bit of help, especially during this Covid,” said Pastor Kara’lynn Brubaker.
Brubaker has been busy unloading turkeys off the truck and into the church. They will be handing them out in their parking lot Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
“We make sure that every family gets a basket of food plus a big old fat turkey for Thanksgiving,” said Brubaker.
She spent years doing humanitarian work, feeding people overseas but didn’t realize how much her own neighborhood was also hurting.
“One in four children go to bed hungry here in St. Petersburg,” said Brubaker.
Orrick Wilson is one of those who depended on the church for turkey dinners in the past. He is now volunteering his time to help families like his own.
“Me, myself, I’m on a fixed income because I have back problems and everything, so it helps out a lot because the social security check we get doesn’t really amount to anything,” said Wilson.
The church has partnered with Metropolitan Ministries to register families and circulate the food. All of it is made possible through donations.
Brubaker said people don’t have to explain why they need help. She just wants to make sure they get it.
“It’s not everybody that can afford a nice dinner for Thanksgiving, and everyone should be able to receive one,” said Brubaker.
Positive Impact Church is located on 2750 34th Street South in St. Petersburg.
For more information on how to register for a free Thanksgiving dinner, go to www.metromin.org/holiday-central or call 813-209-1200.
