Fox 28 News in the South Bend, Ind., region today carried this report of a Grace College/community relief effort. To see additional footage, click here.
Hundreds of community members from the Warsaw and Winona Lake, Ind., area filled the aisles of a local supermarket for what they were calling an “unprecedented three-hour shopping spree”. The only catch was that the items they filled their carts with went to families in the community that are in need.
“It’s a challenge but one we believe a generous community like Warsaw will pull off.” local pastor Kondo Simfukwe said.
Kondo Simfukwe is the pastor at Mission Point Church. He says 50% of Warsaw High School students don’t get enough on their plates and that needs to change.
“If they don’t eat at school, they don’t eat at home.” Simfukwe said.
His church partnered with Grace College students. Along with Kearstine Criswell, the Student Activities Director at Grace college, they collaborated for a three-hour shopping spree at Owen’s SuperMarket. Roaming the aisles, filling their carts with more than just ingredients for meals.”This is a chance for them to take what they have and for college students they might only have five dollars in their bank accounts. But they’re able to use that to extend love to people in the community.” Criswell said.The students that filled the supermarket were buzzing about the opportunity to take part in an event like this.
Of course it’s not limited to college students. Just ask Tracy Nichols, she spent $85, and says every penny was worth it.”I didn’t care what the total was. I just told the kids to fill the cart with stuff that they would want on their Christmas table.” Nichols said.
With every purchase, another table, another family was blessed with a holiday meal they would have otherwise gone without.