The 16th Annual Feeding All Souls Christmas Dinner will be on Wednesday, Dec. 25 from 11 a.m. 2 p.m.(or until the food runs out). On Christmas Day any soul that needs to be fed can come to the Multi-Purpose Building at the Checotah Intermediate School located at 201 Owens Ave. and pick up a hot meal to go.

Pastor Samuel Cunningham and his members of his church, Mt. Olive Star Baptist Church, have had one mission for all these years to simply love and feed every soul that crosses their path on Christmas Day.

Feeding All Souls was the vision of Willie and Jacque Hopkins over 16 years ago and it hasn’t changed in all these years. Each year it takes everyone working together to feed around 500 people or more that show up.

“We expect to feed even more this year with food prices up in our county which already has food insecurities that we deal with on a daily basis,” Cunningham said. “That’s why God put it on a church member’s heart to even have a Feeding All Souls Turkey Give-A-Way on Saturday, Dec. 21 from 12-2 p.m. at 3LFARMS, ‘The People’s Garden at 515 N.E. 3rd St. People can just drive through and get a free turkey. Limit is one per car only.

Then on Christmas Day anyone can come to the school gym and get a free, hot meal to take home and eat.”

Each year Mt. Olive Church members use the school facility to prepare all the food that goes out. The spacious area provides plenty of space for everyone to be comfortable and be able to work together but get the work done.

“Volunteers are always needed each and every year,” Cunningham said. “We make sure those working for the city on Christmas Day, like our local Checotah PD, are fed too so we could possibly use some delivery drivers.”

Each year Cunningham and his church look forward to serving a Christmas meal to show the love of God to their community. They know it takes a village to feed a community “Times are hard for many families around the holidays, so we choose to serve one another in the spirit of love. Every meal is free to anyone who needs it but donations are always appreciated and welcomed. We will start sending out meals by 11 a.m. and will continue until 2 p.m. or until the food runs out.”

For more information contact: Pastor Samuel L. Cunningham Sr. 918843-0084 Dir. of Food Ministry Jacqueline Moore 918441-2360 Food Ministry Leonard Hill 918-441-6214 Food Ministry Alfred Gilyard 918-617-3292