Members of a Lawrenceville church don't have to look far beyond the next pew to see the effects of joblessness.
The Rev. Kevin Myers, senior pastor of 12Stone Church, estimates several hundred of the church's families have members who are unemployed. When the staff was thinking about ways to help, however, they hit upon an idea that extends beyond 12Stone's walls.
"We have a lot of families going through a difficult time," said Myers, whose church has a weekly attendance of 11,000. "We realized we have a great need in the community and it sort of snowballed."
The church plans to feed 5,500 unemployed families during the Christmas period through a partnership with Kroger, Signature Foods, the Gwinnett Braves and HoneyBaked Ham Corp.
Food and other items will be given to 2,500 people at 1 p.m. Dec. 18 at Coolray Field, One Braves Avenue in Gwinnett County.
An additional 3,000 packages will be given to the unemployed of 12Stone, friends and neighbors of the congregation and families referred by local charities and food cooperatives.
Each family will receive a ham or turkey, a week's worth of groceries and a voucher for four tickets to a Gwinnett Braves home game in the 2011 season.
The value placed on those items, services and proceeds from a special offering taken during services earlier this month exceeds $1 million, according to the church.
Although the project is aimed at Gwinnett County residents, no one will be turned away, Myers said. The packages will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis.
Georgia's unemployment rate in October was 9.9 percent -- above the national average, according to the Georgia Department of Labor.
About the Author
The Latest
Featured
