Fellowship Cup helps local families with holiday gift and food distribution

MT. PLEASANT - It's the season of giving at the Fellowship Cup. The nonprofit organization, which aims to provide 'food, clothing and shelter to the underserved of Henry County,” hosted its annual adopt-a-family Christmas Gift program and Christmas Food Distribution in late December.

Each year, the Fellowship Cup asks community members and businesses to help give 80 local kids in need a Christmas they wouldn't get otherwise, providing a small gift or some new winter clothing to children.

Among the groups that are most involved with the program is the New London Presbyterian Church, who adopted 20 kids this year for the gift distribution.

Chris Selby and Jane Simmons, volunteers who delivered the gifts to the Fellowship Cup, explained that their church has an Angel Tree from which members can help purchase gifts for some of the kids the church adopts.

'I think that's part of Christmas is giving back and if you can make a child smile, then that's great,” Selby said.

'We know that there's children that don't have much and we feel like this is a way we can help them out, that way parents know that they will have something for Christmas,” Simmons added.

Ken Brown, the executive director of the Fellowship Cup, explained that the group has partaken in the program every Christmas since he began at the nonprofit over six years ago.

'They've increased the number of children they take each year and they go all out,” Brown said.

The executive director stated that the program helps take a burden off struggling parents who are trying to provide a joyful Christmas for their children.

'For the families, it definitely takes a burden off them as far as the worry. The child doesn't have to know that the parent got help. Once they pick them up early and they're under the tree, the kids don't have to know. Hey, they just get a Christmas provided for them. If anything, it takes the stress off these families because a lot of them are living day-by-day and can't plan throughout the year for Christmas shopping,” Brown added.

Belkis Alejandro, an immigrant from Puerto Rico and whose two children were recipient of gifts from the Christmas Gift program said because her husband was not doing as well financially, the past several months have been particularly hard for her family.

Alejandro, who's 11-year-old son has an intellectual disability, stays home to take care of him as well as her 13-year-old daughter. Most of her husband's income has gone toward basic necessities like rent and electricity, which hasn't left much for Christmas gifts.

'They will enjoy the presents,” she said of the nicely wrapped bags of goodies, which included board games like Monopoly as well as little treats like chocolate candy canes.

Alejandro picked up her children's gifts during the Fellowship Cup's Christmas Food Distribution on Saturday, Dec. 21, which saw about 150 households come through for some food items and other holiday essentials, which included blankets, gift wrapping paper and weatherization kits.

Jackie Brawner, a volunteer who helped hand out food items explained that she helps out regularly during the organization's Thursday food pantry but that it was the first time she had done Christmas.

'It's an extension of my faith and it's to connect to people in our community and provide for the needs they have,” Brawner said.

Brawner was one of many volunteers that helped the distribution go smoothly. Chase Wilson, a Boy Scout, helped carry family's boxes as they made their way around retrieving their items.

'I think it's good to help the community and people who might not be as fortunate as us,” Wilson said.

The ninth-grader, who also volunteered to help carry boxes last year remarked that he was happy to lend a helping hand to get community members 'basic necessities for Christmas.”

Among the families that were able to get their needs met through the food distribution included Gayle Baxter and her son Llouvani.

'It's a blessing. Usually we don't have to come until the end of the month when my funds on my food stamps get kind of low. That is when I try to come. When I have my times that I don't need it, I also try to survey what I have at home to see if I can give some of it back and give some back to them,” the mother said.

Llouvani, a third-grader, was able to pick out a set of Minecraft Legos as he and his mother went walked through the Fellowship Cup.

'I'm excited to play with the Legos. I don't usually have them at home,” he said.