Bethlehem Apostolic Temple holds annual food, clothing giveaway

T-L Photo/JOSIE BURKHART
The Bethlehem Apostolic Temple members and other organization volunteers give out clothes, such as coats, jeans and pajamas to people in need during the church’s Thanksgiving distribution Saturday morning.

WHEELING — Nearly 200 families will have a happier Thanksgiving after receiving items from North Wheeling’s Community Dream Center on Saturday during the Bethlehem Apostolic Temple’s Thanksgiving distribution.

Bishop Darrell Cummings, organizer of the distribution and lead pastor of Bethlehem Apostolic Temple, gave away food and other items to people in need, along with other organizations that volunteered for Thanksgiving.

“It’s a great feeling to help, it’s so happy and sad, happy that we’re able to do it, happy that they trusted us to help them. Sad that many people need help, but everybody needs help sometimes,” he said. “I needed help. That’s the reason I do it. I’m trying to pay it forward because of the help I got, so we’re honored to do it.”

Cummings on Saturday afternoon said 198 families and 704 individuals received assistance this year. None of that could happen, he said, without community support and volunteers.

Cummings said this is the most volunteers he’s had in the past 34 years he’s been doing the distribution. Organizations from around the area volunteered, such as the Wheeling Fire Department, Ohio County Sheriff’s Office, principals, teachers, churches, public officials and others.

Cummings said the church collected items for the distribution through buying in bulk and doing fundraisers to cover the costs and donations from different organizations.

“And that’s the emphasis, that even though I’m the one talking to you, it’s really a community. You bet the community is doing this,” he said.

Some items that were distributed included food such as turkeys, chickens, ribs, green beans, corn, cranberries, pies, dinner rolls, crescent rolls, apple sauce, almonds, apples, oranges, pears and celery.

New winter coats, jeans, shirts, shoes and pajamas for men, women, boys and girls were distributed as well.

Cummings said there was somebody who had just moved into the area and hadn’t found a job yet, so they came and got help at a past distribution, and after they got a job as a manager of a gas station, they helped the church help others.

Rae’keisha Knight is a member of Bethlehem Apostolic Temple who volunteered to distribute items to people. She said that she volunteers because she loves giving and wants to know she did something good for the community.

“The reason I do this is because I love giving back, and also, I’ve been in a position where I was in need plenty of times years ago,” Knight said. “And I know what it feels like when you don’t have something. I’m fortunate enough to help others out as well.”

Ohio County Democratic Women’s Club member Vickie Joseph volunteers because her organization feels like it is important to reach out to the community in any way it can and help wherever it is needed. She said she thinks it is important to do what people can when people can help somebody else have a nice holiday.

“Everybody’s in need. Sometimes everybody needs help,” Cummings said. “Nothing to be ashamed of to be in need, everything to be ashamed of to be in need and refuse to get help.”