Beef It Up for People in Need

Years ago, an 8th-grade “Problem-Solvers” group adopted a project that still works today. Midlothian was home to many churches, but they all worked independently to serve benevolent needs here in town. It made them each “easy marks” for abusing the compassion of each congregation. These 8th-graders suggested that the churches team together and create a ministry that they would support and utilize to meet needs in the area. That ministry became “Manna House.” Through these years, Manna has kept clear records, called churches to verify information, and sought to help people in need without allowing people to work the entire list of churches in order to abuse their generosity.

Today, Manna cares for hundreds of families in need, and our church financially supports them every month. But one need is highlighted by our church every autumn. “Beef It Up” was our response to the fact that people readily donate CANNED GOODS, old furniture, and clothing, but they don’t tend to donate MEAT. So many years ago, we launched a one-day campaign to fill the freezers of Manna so they could provide meat in the food they distribute. That first year, we exceeded their freezer space, and many homes stored meat for Manna for a few weeks.

This year, we will host “Beef It Up” on Sunday, September 29, at two locations. Manna House will have their refrigerated trucks on the Kroger and Brookshires parking lots. You can buy meat ahead of time and drop it off there, or you can buy meat at those stores and immediately donate on your way out the door. We hope to collect TWO TONS of meat that weekend. You won’t see the FBC name or logo on anything. This isn’t a marketing campaign; it’s a HUNGER campaign. Just look for the MANNA HOUSE folks in the parking lots; they will accept the meat and move it into cool storage.

But I ask this of you: Spend at LEAST as much time caring for hungry people as you typically spend on your family for Sunday lunch! Because every bit of this will feed needy, hungry families in our area. We have done this every year, and I have seen people spend a few hundred dollars on hunger. Take your kids with you and help them learn about this. Talk about what you’re doing. And have a ball with this project! Let’s bless the Manna House staff and all those who will volunteer to help this weekend, and let’s fill their freezers. Together, we will “BEEF UP” the ability to prevent hunger in our town!