<div>This month, millions of Americans failed to receive the SNAP benefits they count on to feed their family.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>To respond to this need, my church, the Noank Baptist Church is distributing grocery gift cards to families that are affected, but the church is small and the need is great. There is only enough for 100 cards ($50 each).

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>The need is great, but my faith is greater. I believe that, given the chance, the community of people I know will support this mission.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>The Church has what is called a Fellowship Fund which is a fund that is used to help people in need, regardless of church membership, attendance, religious affiliation or even belief, and they have emptied it to serve this mission.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>This is separate from the operating funds, so every dollar donated will be given to people in need.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>My goal is to refill that fund, raising $5000 to allow the church to continue to support neighbors in need, whether in this crisis or the next.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>Whether you can give $1 or $1,000, everything helps.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>When I heard about this, and the concern that word will get out and far more than 100 families will show up, I was reminded of the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div><em>As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said,</em>

</div>

<div><em>“This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”</em>

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div><em>Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”</em>

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div><em>They answered, “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish.”</em>

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div><em>“Bring them here to me,” he said.</em>

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div><em>And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.</em>

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div><em>They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.</em>

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>Maybe we'll feed 5,000 or maybe just 5, but I feel called to put this out there and see what comes.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div><strong>My Story and Why This Matters to Me</strong>

</div>

<div>15 years ago, I was in dire need. I didn't know how I'd pay the rent. I didn't even know how I would buy groceries. I posted about it on Facebook, and I got a message from my pastor (at a different church) letting me know they had something called a Fellowship Fund. Come by the church, and they'd help me out.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>I showed up, and she handed me a check for $50. No questions asked. Just gave it to me.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>The money fed me for a week. The act fed my soul forever.

</div>

<div>Someone cared. Someone heard my need and reached out to help.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>I decided that one day I would pay that forward, and one of the greatest days of my life was when I was finally able to write a check for $50 into Noank Baptist Church's fellowship fund.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>I have been blessed to be able to do that more than once by the grace of God.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>So, when I heard that they were giving $50 to families facing this crisis, the same amount that had been given to me, I knew that I had to act. First by giving my own $50 directly to the church, then by leveraging my network, community, and audience to do more.

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>How many more families can we feed? I don't know.

</div>

<div>Even one would be a blessing.

</div>

<div>But maybe we can feed 10 or 50 or 100 or 200 or more?

</div>

<div><br />

</div>

<div>Will you help us?

</div>

Rennie Gabriel

Essentials Fund - GoFundMe.org 

Anonymous

Just $295 to go!
Make an impact.

Support Families Affected by SNAP Suspension

Just $295$ to go! Make an impact.

Support Families Affected by SNAP Suspension

Just $295 to go!
Make an impact.