GARLAND — Residents of the Garland area got to enjoy Thanksgiving a little early this week, as Garland Christian Ministry and Mount Zion Community Church, in partnership with Helping Hands Change Makers, Inc., put on a free community Thanksgiving dinner on Tuesday afternoon.
The event was held at the C&D Event Center on 471 South Ingold Ave. There was plenty of food to go around as the community poured in, along with delivery to those that weren’t able to attend the event.
“Garland Christian Ministry, Mount Zion Community Church and Helping Hands Change all collaborated. Together, We were looking at the needs of the people, especially in these difficult and trying times,” said Bishop Lorenzo Simmons of Garland Christian Ministry. “And everyone knows about the crisis that we’ve been dealing with, the cuts to the food stamps and the jobs, everything we’ve lost, it was just really pressed upon me to get back to the community. This is what the community center is for, the C&D Foundation is for, to give back on events like this.”
Bishop Simmons says it’s especially important to give back during the holiday season.
“It gives me more incentive, to do even more,” he said. “When you see people that are coming out, for not just our first event that started at 11 a.m. but also the one that starts at 4 p.m and ends at 6 p.m. We’re trying to get the senior citizens that don’t drive at night so they can attend the day sessions, making sure they can get here. If not they can take to-go plates if they can’t dine in, but also, we are delivering plates, so we’re gonna make it happen. Also, for those that are working, sometimes they work eight hours, nine hours, in addition to receiving, they want to help. ‘Hey I work until three, or four.’ Okay, well we made it a way for those that can volunteer and can help, they’re blessed by giving back and pouring back into the community. They want to be a part of it, but it’s also for those that work, it’s a place where we can get them a Thanksgiving dinner.”
Going forward, Bishop Simmons stressed one thing to the community: “Everything we do, we put God first. We’re a Christian base, and everything we do, we do it as unto the Lord. God blessed me, God blessed others, that they can be a blessing to others. In other words, pass it on. Whatever you do, whatever God gives you, pass it on. That’s what we’re supposed to do. We’re supposed to be neighborly we’re supposed to be a blessing to somebody else. This is what we do.”