LITHONIA, Ga. — Thousands of families in DeKalb County received much-needed Thanksgiving turkeys Thursday, thanks to a collaborative effort led by New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia.
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The church, under the leadership of Pastor Jamal Bryant, distributed 4,000 turkeys to families in need, doubling their usual annual giveaway. The event was supported by community partners, including the Focus 21 Foundation and Witherite Law Group, who contributed food and volunteers to ensure the success of the initiative.
“I think this is really what the church is supposed to be... people neglect the fact that Jesus did more feeding than he did preaching,” said Bryant.
Dr. Terrance Berry from Focus 21 Foundation stated, “We want to make sure that we teach our mentees the importance of giving back to the community.”
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Amy Witherite from Witherite Law Group explained, “We typically give out 2,000 turkeys, but this year it’s doubled up to 4,000, and the need is real.”
Cars lined up early at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church for the epic giveaway, which included not only turkeys but other groceries as well. The event was open to everyone, with a special invitation extended to government workers affected by the recent shutdown.
Dr. Carla Stokes, a member involved in the event, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to help families in the community who need something extra for the holidays.
Pastor Bryant addressed misconceptions about those seeking assistance, stating, “The false notion is that people who need help are lazy... but these are hard-working people... on their way to work, on their way to class.”
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