Optimist Club and Harvest Fellowship Church help needy
By Rochelle Moore
Published in News on November 27, 2016 12:09 AM
The Optimist Club of Goldsboro donated $500 last week to Manna House, a ministry of Harvest Fellowship Church that provides the needy with food, clothing and other assistance.
Optimist Club member Bill Edgerton said the group was interested in helping people suffering in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. The membership had confidence in Manna House's ability to help people in need, he said.
"We're donating for the food primarily for the flood victims," Edgerton said. "One of our members goes to this church, so he knows how well that it's organized.
"The reason we're making this donation is because of the hurricane. They would do more with the money we donate than we can do ourselves."
Edgerton, along with Betty Duncan, Optimist Club vice president, handed the check to Manna House on Monday. During their visit, people filled the church hallways and walked away with bags of food, paper products and cleaning supplies. Manna House operates from Harvest Fellowship, at 126 W. Walnut St.
Kathy Rackley, director of Manna House, said the ministry, which provides food to the needy on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, has experienced an influx of residents following the Oct. 8 hurricane.
"We have probably increased by 800 people a month more than we normally have," Rackley said.
After the hurricane, Manna House started serving meals, including lunch and dinner, from the church. Bags of food were distributed four times a week, and at one point, the ministry handed out 400 blankets.
Clothing and furniture donations have also been provided to people in need, she said. Manna House receives most of its supplies from the Food Bank of North Carolina.
On Monday, close to 200 people received a bag of food, cleaning items and paper products.
"This donation's going to help us with the food we need with the increased amount of people we're feeding," Rackley said.
"I think it's marvelous that the civic organization in Goldsboro pitched in to help with these flood victims because they don't know where to go and what to do