Judah Church Orlando now works to ensure all families have a reason to celebrate Thanksgiving. The local church recently donated food baskets for families in need. 

Helping Families in Need

In a report with Fox News, Judah church volunteers worked overtime to pack food items for the distribution. Members of the church donated goods for the families to prepare Thanksgiving dinner. 

The Judah Church website also urged its members to donate to their cause. Members could donate in cash or in food items that the church listed. 

For additional help, the congregation asked donors to practice generosity towards their fellowmen, saying that "Judah loved people." 

The volunteers then distributed the food baskets on Saturday, Nov. 20. Items included gift cards, stuffing mix, and canned foods. 

The distribution event took place at the Welcome Center. 

Feed the Need

Erin Bartolomei Cothern told Fox that the church was able to give out 330 Thanksgiving baskets and turkeys. Cothern is the Outreach Director of Judah Church. 

Cothern added that they were glad they were able to help their community celebrate Thanksgiving. 

One of the recipients of the gift baskets was Nathalie Johnson. The mother of six said she found it hard to feed her brood despite working two jobs. She was glad to receive a gift basket for her family.

Practicing Compassion

According to the news outlet, many families lost their jobs. Most could not put food on the table or afford to celebrate during the holidays. 

The nondenominational church wanted to make sure nearby areas get to celebrate Thanksgiving with their families. 

The report said that many families often turned to food banks to fill their pantries. 

As reported, the Judah Church staff and volunteers put together the "Feed the City" event to meet the needs of families in Orlando.

Alainah Cadenas was another recipient of the Thanksgiving basket. She told the news outlet that she did not have any food for the holiday. If it were not for the church's help, she said she would not have a reason to celebrate. 

Partnering with Nonprofits

According to Fox, the church managed to increase its donations this year. Last year, the church only distributed 75 baskets during the Thanksgiving season. 

Judah Church partnered with the Second Harvest Food Bank, Charter Communications, and other local donors. 

Senior Pastor Kendal Brown said the most important thing as believers is to love people. He added that Christians needed to look out for those who needed help. 

Loving others is the most significant thing that believers could do for each other, he reiterated. 

In the future, the church is also planning to hand out Christmas boxes for families who could not afford to put food on the table. They are encouraging people to help them towards the cause. 

According to them, every dollar helps and would go a long way. 

Acknowledging Volunteers

Judah Church has a group for regular volunteers who help during outreach activities. The church recognizes these people for their efforts in helping share God's Word and showing compassion. 

For November, the church posted the names of its volunteers on its Facebook page. The Judah Church thanked them for their efforts and prayed for them and their families. 

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