Last Sunday Rudy at The Justa Center reached out to Jane Peterson after church with a heartfelt request for food for Justa seniors in housing. He said that he did not have enough food for the food bags this week…and could we help? They are sending out 140 food bags every week.

The Missions Committee met immediately to discuss what we might do to help feed these folks, especially now that it is Thanksgiving week. Holidays are such a hard time for people who are alone.

So Shirley called an emergency meeting of the committee right after church. We looked at our funds and decided we had enough money in our Local Missions account to buy enough shelf-stable canned hams, instant potatoes, packets of gravy mix, canned beans and corn, and small desserts for the 140 food bags.

Remember that last Sunday we looked at the two fundraisers (Fry’s & Gift Cards) that provide much-needed funds for Missions projects. Well, here was an opportunity that needed those funds! So THANK YOU DFUMC for supporting missions with your purchases.

Then the Missions Team spent the afternoon running around shopping for these food items. Shirley Coomer and Michelle Wachter visited 4 Walmarts, 4 Walgreens, and 1 CVS, where these small hams can be found. They purchased 55 hams, 140 cans of green beans and corn, 140 packages of instant potatoes, 140 packages of gravy mix. Gerry Gould shopped and purchased enough small desserts (think Swiss Rolls and chocolate cupcakes) for the 140.

On Monday morning Jane and Eric Peterson were scheduled to deliver a trailer full of furniture to Justa; we added the food items to this load and off we went Justa. The remaining hams were ordered from Amazon and arrived on Tuesday. Shirley delivered them to Justa at 6:30 Monday morning so that they are available to be packed in the bags, which will be delivered to the apartments on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday morning.

Rudy was SO HAPPY that he was beaming! He said that he was so excited and happy when we said we would provide these meals that he told Dean (the Director of Justa), the nurse, the ladies packing the food bags, the volunteers, his right hand helpers Gary and Clyde…and his friend Terri. They were all so happy to know that the Justa seniors would have a full meal for Thanksgiving.

Rudy said he had a little money left in a grant for the food pantry. He would buy enough stuffing to go along with the other food. He would also buy enough loaves of bread to send for ham sandwiches…at Smart and Final.

In our conversation, Rudy told Jane that a senior named Will called just that Monday morning and said, “ Rudy, I don’t have much food. What is Justa doing for Thanksgiving?” Rudy told him to just be patient because our “partner church” is providing a Thanksgiving meal in this week’s food bags. Rudy said, “ Just be patient and stay home to receive your bag!”

The Justa Center will also be serving a turkey meal AT The Justa Center for those seniors who still reside on the streets of Phoenix.

Desert Foothills UMC didn’t feed “the 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fishes” like Jesus and his disciples, but we did feed “the 140 seniors with a ham and all the “fixins” for Thanksgiving!”

Looking forward…Jane asked Rudy what Justa would do for their seniors for food for Christmas. Rudy looked at Jane with a smile and quietly asked, “Could Desert Foothills do this same thing for our Christmas food bags?” Jane said, “Yes, we can and we will.”

So keep reading the Sunday bulletin and the Wednesday email newsletter to see how YOU can help “feed the 140” again during Christmas week.

Praise God!!

DFUMC Missions Team