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Thanksgiving Gobble Kits Impact Stories

2020 was a record year for the Feed the Need Missions Gobble Kit program.

Over the course of four Gobble Kit distribution days in November, we served Thanksgiving meal kits to eight Texas communities, with the help of more than 250 volunteers, made possible by financial support from more than 350 donors. We distributed a record 764 Gobble Kits, praying over every single guest. While the statistics are exciting because they show the growing breadth of our program, it is the personal experiences that show the depth and impact. Read on to hear a few touching stories from those involved in this year’s program. 

The Blessing of Service: Volunteer Testimonies 

We are beyond grateful for our incredible volunteers, many who began helping months before the actual Gobble Kit distribution. From sorting, organizing, promotion and logistics to praying, visiting, and sharing the Gospel—these people went above and beyond to feed people physically and spiritually. As you read their stories, you’ll find the common thread that as they blessed others, they were equally refreshed and blessed.


Jeanette from Bastrop South shared, “being able to sign people up and check them off the list made me feel so blessed. The fact that this program does so much for others, makes me so grateful. I thought it was wonderful and those who received were over joyed and so appreciative. It makes me feel joyful knowing that I was a part of this.”

Jennie from Stony Point told us, “Watching my husband experience joy as he serves the community has changed our marriage. It’s such a blessing. My husband has never really been a part of something like this. It has helped us grow together because it gets us outside of ourselves. You don’t see the need until you’re present. It’s been a huge blessing for me to witness those who experience receiving food and watching the growth of our volunteers.”

Jack from LBA said “It was a neat way to break in some of the folks that have just recently moved to the community by asking them if they were in need of a Gobble Kit. We have a lot of single parents that are trying to make ends meet and the thankfulness from them brought me to tears. Because of COVID and serving the Gobble Kits to the guests at their vehicle brought more opportunities to build the relationship and people were more vulnerable, especially those who couldn’t be with their family. The impact on being a family together is extremely emotional to the ones who couldn’t travel to see loved ones. We prayed together and cried together.” 

Teresa, who serves at multiple sites, was extremely impacted by the volunteers presence at each sites. “We all came together and helped each other out at the different sites. Many Site Coordinators and other lead teams worked together to help make the Gobble Kit program a success. It touched my heart seeing so many people being prayed for and the acceptance of our guests wanting prayer. I saw many faces that I haven’t seen before that are struggling and this turkey meal was enough to give them HOPE.”

Becca: A Guest Experience

Becca is a single mom from a local community who has been struggling financially. She’s new to the area and heard about Feed the Need Missions by looking online for free Thanksgiving dinners. “I was in need, and so were my kids. I have three kids and it’s hard right now to work because of COVID and my babies being home. I wanted to make Thanksgiving for them to do something that felt more “normal,” Becca shared.
She came to one of the local serving sites to sign up for a Gobble Kit. When she saw the line of over 150 cars in line before her, she felt sure she would not receive one. “To go home and have to tell my kids there would be no Thanksgiving was going to be so hard for me.” 
Thankfully because of the generous supporters and donations, she was able to receive a Thanksgiving meal for her family. “I can’t thank you enough. I have been praying to God to send people to help me, and He did.” Not only did she receive a meal but now Becca is serving and was given a list of some resources in the area that could give her more assistance. 



Feed the Need With Us

What a joy it is to be able to report such powerful experiences. Not only is the program growing each year, but it is growing people up in Jesus. Volunteers are experiencing life change and our guests are encountering the peace and provision of Jesus. If reading these stories has inspired you to get involved, we would love for you to become part of the Feed the Need Missions family. You can support us financially by making a donation, or serve at one of our eight site locations each week.

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Feed the Need With Us On Giving Tuesday

What is Giving Tuesday?

In the coming days, you will likely see social media and email inbox flooded with requests to give for Giving Tuesday. But what exactly is it?

Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement designed to empower people to do what they can to improve the world. Situated just after frenzied Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping, the initiative calls on the community to pause, to consider others, and to do something to support others and important causes. 
Participation also includes many activities, including:
    • Doing a kind deed for neighbors
    • Volunteering or sharing talents 
    • Giving your voice to a cause that matters to you
    • Donating to a local fundraiser, community drive or coordinated event
With so many worthy nonprofit organizations and activities from which to choose, how do you decide which cause to support? Read on for a few suggestions from our Feed the Need Missions team. 

How to Choose the Nonprofit to Support?

Give to support your community’s needs. One of the most invigorating experiences as a donor or volunteer is to actually see your donation in action— to see change happening and know you were able to support it.

Consider the problems that weigh heavily on your own community. Is it poverty? Homelessness? Hunger? Then seek out organizations that are working to solve these problems. If you can find one that is functioning where you live, or has a desire to expand to your area, even better!  Most organizations provide an overview of their Mission Statement on their websites. 

Give according to your personal values. When you look for your cause, be selective about not only what your organization does, but how.

Investigate their methods and their practices. Read their blog and check out their social media sites. These should give you a pretty full picture of what they view as most important. Then consider your own personal values, and make sure your preferred organization matches up. Sharing values with the organizations you support means you can feel good about partnering with them. 

How to Partner with Feed the Need Missions on Giving Tuesday

This GivingTuesday, we hope you’ll consider Feed the Need Missions as you make your selection. Every week, we work hard to meet physical and spiritual needs in communities across rural Texas. At our site locations, we provide free weekly dinners open to anyone, as well as spiritual encouragement and prayer support. We also take hope on the road though our disaster relief efforts nationwide. 

Take a few moments to view a testimony from one of our donors here. Here you’ll learn a little more about our values as an organization. If you feel like we are a good fit for you, there are several ways you can give: 

  1. Simply click here to make a donation online. 
    We are so thankful for our generous donors. You can give this one time or even select a monthly amount for ongoing support.

  2. Sign up for AmazonSmile. Many of the gifts you are planning to purchase this holiday season qualify for AmazonSmile. Simply go to smile.amazon.com, select Feed the Need Missions as your default organization, and a percentage of your purchase will be donated to us.
  1. Check with your employer to see if they match donations. This can double or even triple the financial donations or even volunteer hours you generously give to Feed the Need Missions! Search here to see if this is something your employer offers or check with your HR department and ask about matching employee donations.
  1. Give through other revenues. Take a look at our Ways to Give page to learn more about giving to Feed the Need Missions through stocks, planned giving, and more. And feel free to contact us if you have any questions about these various ways to make a difference in our communities.
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Site Updates: Gobble Kits

Put the GIVING in Thanksgiving Dinner This Year

Famed English poet Wiliam Blake once wrote, “The thankful recipient bears a plentiful harvest.”

As holiday hustle and bustle begin to surface once again, our minds and to-do lists are already filling up with meal planning, travel arrangements and decor inspiration. But let’s not forget that Thanksgiving is also a wonderful opportunity to show gratitude by blessing those around us.

Challenges in the wake of COVID-19 have made 2020 a particularly difficult year for many. If there was ever a time to emphasize the giving in your family’s Thanksgiving plans, this is it. Feed the Need Missions’ annual Thanksgiving Gobble Kits campaign provides area families in need with a traditional Thanksgiving dinner, with all the fixin’s. If you’re looking for a safe, simple and family-friendly way to give back, we’d love to partner with you!

How Can I Provide Thanksgiving Dinner to a Family in Need?

There are three ways to get involved:

1. Give.

A donation of just $25 provides a full Thanksgiving meal to a family of four to six. You can donate directly, and our team of volunteers will purchase supplies and assemble the meal kits on your behalf. You can also pick up a shopping list at one of our local supply pick-up locations, fill your bag with groceries and even a personalized note, and drop them off. Visit our Gobble Kits page for details and donation locations.

2. Serve.

If you are looking for a family-friendly volunteer opportunity, and are located near one of our distribution sites, we would love to invite you to join us as we hand out these meals to families in the community. You can also join us for Gobble Kit assembly day. To receive updates and join our volunteer team, email our Vice President Jason Bray.

3. Pray.

Prayer fuels everything we do at Feed the Need Missions. Whatever capacity you decide to partner with us this year, we hope you will join us in prayer. We believe that many will be fed not only physically, but also spiritually as they see the love of Christ in action this Thanksgiving. We ask that you pray for the immediate and eternal needs of these families to be met through our mission.

Thanksgiving 2020 Gobble Kit Collections Are Now Underway

We are already busy making preparations for this year’s Gobble Kit giveaway. For more information, visit our Gobble Kits page. Here, you can donate directly, find our shopping list or locate a place to come and serve.

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The Beyond Gala Update

What an incredible night we had for The Beyond Gala. We are “Beyond Thankful” for those who gave, participated, prayed and were involved. In a short time of 1 1/2 hours we raised $80,000. With this being our first virtual Gala we are incredibly thankful. Feed the Need Missions has been feeding people physically and spiritually for ten years! We continue to see God grow the ministry and those we serve. Here are a few quotes from people over the last 10 years:

“I never thought Bastrop would have something like this., I came back to Bastrop with the clothes on my back and my two dogs. You guys helped me in many ways. It doesn’t matter your race, what you look like, or who you are you still feed them.” – Joe

“We are a large family. My husband works full time and I take care of the children. Sometimes it’s hard to feed seven people.” – Vasquez Family

“I am gratefully thankful for Feed the Need Missions in helping me see who I really am, learning more about Jesus, and the transformation that has happened in my life. Thank you for accepting me into the family.” – Brandy

We still need your help to continue feeding people physically and spiritually. Our goal for next year is to continue reaching people with the gospel, starting new sites, and putting together a marketing team to help us grow. Will you help us finish raising our goal of $150,000? People like Joe, The Vasquez Family and Brandy need physical and spiritual feeding. Help us raise $70,000 to meet our goal.

Here’s how you can help:

– Donate online HERE
– Mail a check: PO Box 1542 Bastrop, Texas 78602
– Pray for the ministry!

Thank you for an impactful 10 years of serving people physically and spiritually. We couldn’t do this without your help and the support from the communities.

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Are You In?

Since COVID-19 pandemic began, we have faced the challenge of figuring out how to continue serving in our communities. Safety has been a priority and our team at Feed the Need Missions has been working around the clock to make sure no one in our community gets left behind.

Zulma and her kids are just one of the families we have been able to serve each week. “Both of my kids are in Head Start and my youngest daughter has really bad asthma and she gets very sick easily. I lost both of my jobs and income because of no one working,” she told us. “You guys have been a resource for my family in helping us get through this.”

The need is even greater during this time with job losses and children out of school. That’s why we are asking if you are able too, can you commit to giving monthly?

 

Did you know?

On average each Feed the Need Missions community needs $2,500 in monthly pledges to cover all costs. That means all we need is 125 people from each community to commit to giving $20 a month to cover all costs for that community.

Plus, right now for a limited time, when you sign up to give $20 or more monthly, we will send you a free t-shirt as a thank you for partnering with us. So what are you waiting for? Sign up today!


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3 Reasons to Sign Up for Monthly Giving Today

Somewhere along the way, I am sure you have been asked to become a monthly donor for a nonprofit. Maybe several nonprofits have asked you. Maybe we’ve asked you.

Nonprofits are always so thankful for the people who support our organizations through their financial contributions or the giving of their time. We could not serve our communities without these supporters. But did you know there is a way to make your support go further? And it is easy. Simply sign up to become a monthly donor. Here are a few reasons why.

1) Helps with planning

This one might seem pretty obvious, but when a nonprofit knows it will receive a certain amount of donations each month from their monthly givers, it helps with budgeting and planning.

If a nonprofit doesn’t have monthly supporters, they’d be walking into each month a little blind, not sure how many people they could actually serve that month. And when you aren’t able to prepare well, things get missed and people can fall through the cracks.

For Feed the Need Missions, we count on the income from our monthly donors to provide a certain amount of burgers each month. If we look ahead and think we might be short for the upcoming month because we expect more people to come to our sites, it then allows us to adjust our other expenses or ask for more donations to be sure we are covered and can serve anyone who stops by.

Ultimately, when a nonprofit can plan and prepare better, they are able to serve more people. And isn’t that the goal of any nonprofit?

2) Frees up organization’s resources

When the majority of a nonprofit’s income are on auto-pilot through monthly giving, it allows the staff to focus on other things, like building relationships, than constantly looking for donations.

Leadership can focus on ways to grow the organization to reach more people. Staff has more time to get to know others in their towns, like leaders and other nonprofits, that they can partner with to work together and strengthen their communities. It might even allow the nonprofit to be able to thrive with less paid staff so that a higher percentage of their income goes directly back into their programs and services.

3) Makes it easy

This last one is not only a benefit to the nonprofit, but also the monthly donor.

We know your intentions are good and you meant to send in that donation, but life happens and maybe that check never got in the mail. Did you know most organizations can set up auto-pay for you so you don’t have to hunt for a stamp every time you want to give?

Setting up a recurring donation through your credit card or bank account takes forgetfulness out of the equation. You know you are truly helping your favorite nonprofit every month, and that nonprofit can count on you. But you know who benefits the most? The people the nonprofit serves.

 

So what are you waiting for? Sign up to be a monthly donor today, at Feed the Need Missions or another nonprofit you are passionate about. Your gifts will go further and make an even greater impact in your community.

 

Did you know?

On average each Feed the Need Missions community needs $2,500 in monthly pledges to cover all costs. That means all we need is 125 people from each community to commit to giving $20 a month to cover all costs for that community.

Plus, right now for a limited time, when you sign up to give $20 or more monthly, we will send you a free t-shirt as a thank you for partnering with us. So what are you waiting for? Sign up today!


 

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Gobble Kits Impact

This Thanksgiving Feed the Need Missions partnered with churches and businesses to provide those in our community with a Thanksgiving meal kit through our Gobble Kit program. It was the first year we did this and the impact we saw in the community was incredible.

We had 467 families sign up across our seven Feed the Need locations, and with the help of the community, EVERY family who signed up was provided a Thanksgiving meal to serve their family.

We are so thankful to the churches and businesses that partnered with us to make a difference this Thanksgiving. And we are so thankful to the people who took the time to gather the supplies, donate funds, and volunteer to put the Gobble Kits together. It truly made a difference in the lives of these 467 families.

Margaret, who received a Gobble Kit, said “I wouldn’t have a Thanksgiving meal if it wasn’t for you guys.” And when she came to pick up her Gobble Kit she said “My heart is overjoyed with your team’s generosity.”

We also put together this video about our vision and experience during this first year we launched this Gobble Kit project. We hope you take a few minutes to watch a little insiders perspective to our hearts and desire to make an impact in our communities, especially during the holiday season.

 

Thank you to those who participated in providing a Gobble Kit this Thanksgiving. Because of you each family was blessed this season.

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The Beyond Gala Recap

This year’s The Beyond Gala was a roaring good time! We are so thankful for everyone who was able to come out and support Feed the Need Missions that night.

Our event this year raised $44,000, our best response to this event yet! This income, as well as donations we have already raised, puts us well on our way of meeting our goal of $180,260 to cover our Bastrop-area sites for next year.

If you weren’t able to attend our event, it’s not too late to give. Would you consider making a monthly commitment of $20 or even $100? Your generosity will make a difference in so many people’s lives now and for the year to come. Simply click the donate button at the bottom to give today.

We LOVED seeing everyone in their fancy “Roaring Twenties” attire, it was even better than we could have imagined. Check out the awesome video recap of the evening above and view the photos from our photo booth from the event. It truly was a fun and festive evening!

Thank you to everyone who came out to support our organization this past weekend at The Beyond Gala. We loved seeing so many new and familiar faces, and we can’t wait to see what God does through your generosity this next year.

DONATE NOW

 

Thank you to Joshua Helms for the video and Madison Grace for the photo booth photos.

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Help Us Be Prepared

Feed the Need Missions has been providing disaster relief since 2011. To date we have responded to 17 disasters and have served many communities near and far that have been devastated by floods, tornadoes, fires, and hurricanes. We do this with a hot meal, listening ear, and encouragement.

Check out this video from Jonah Beyer, Feed the Need Missions’ President, and learn a little more about our heart for disaster preparedness. While you do, we hope you consider partnering with us by making a donation today so we can reach as many people as possible during these urgent times of need.

 

Help us be prepared for the unthinkable today.

DONATE TODAY

Did you know September is National Preparedness Month? Since 2011 Feed the Need Missions has served communities hit with devastating floods, tornadoes, fires, and hurricanes with a hot meal, listening ear, and encouragement.

Can you help us be prepared to respond to the next disaster and make a donation today? Your gift of $10, $25, or $50 will help us respond quicker and serve more people when disaster strikes.

While we never hope for a disaster, we know your support will help us be even more prepared to respond when disaster does come our way.

 

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Fort Bend County Here We Come!

Seven years ago, God burdened my heart for this ministry and gave us a vision to spread it across the country. That seemed like an impossible task for us, and it is, but it is not impossible for God. I’m so excited about all of the things that He has been teaching us over the past several years. He’s been teaching us how to minister to people, sharing the gospel in our churches and communities and how to be effective at running and operating a sucessful ministry.

We have come a long way in developing the Bastrop area, which currently has five sites and operates on a weekly basis. The Denton area was launched last year and currently has one site and soon we will be establishing a second.

Our next new adventure is launching into the Fort Bend County area. A couple of years ago God showed us the next place He wanted us to go. Being unsure of the logistics and timetable, we continued to pray and waited patiently. God is now opening up the doors and has given the ministry a green light, or should I say “the command to go.”

I am excited about this next step as we continue to learn what it looks like to launch in new areas. This is where we need your help! Without you, the ministry wouldn’t be able to function the way it does. We are so grateful for you! It’s because of people like yourself, who listen to God and follow the passion that He is giving you for this ministry. You allow Feed the Need Missions to reach people for Christ. We NEED you to help us to continue carrying the mission and vision that God has for our ministry.

First, we are reaching out and asking you for prayers. Pray for the Fort Bend County leadership and volunteers that God has hand selected for His specific locations that He wants us to plant. Pray that the soil begins to cultivate and seeds are planted.

Second, we are reaching out and asking you to connect. Connect us with those that might be interested in serving. Help connect us with your church, friends and family.

Third, we are reaching out and asking you for funds. Over the next few months we will work to raise the first phase of funds and recruit volunteers in preparation to start three new sites in October. Our goal is to raise $100,000 between now and the end of the year, to help with the initial process of launching the Fort Bend County area.

God has called us to feed people physically and spiritually. For us that looks like providing a weekly hot meal and a listening ear while pointing people to Christ. The consistency of having a weekly meal is critical to building relationships and trust in order to effectively share the gospel and make disciples. Each meal costs an average of two dollars. But the impact is so crucial, even if it’s just one person who responds. How can we put a value on that person’s soul?

There are three ways you can support us financially:

  1. Pledge a monthly amount, so we can continue to be at each one of our sites faithfully each week, rain or shine, holiday or not.
  2. Make a one-time gift to help us launch Fort Bend County.
  3. Help us spread the word. Let your family, church family, and neighbors know about Feed the Need Missions and encourage them to give too.

Again, I can’t thank you enough for all the prayers, time and generosity that you have given to this ministry. I am humbled and honored to have the privilege to serve our God in the capacity He has called me to in this ministry. I look forward to seeing how He continues to use each of us to reach more people with His message and making disciples of all nations.

To learn more about our Fort Bend County launch or to donate, click here.

Blessings,

Jonah Beyer
President

 

DONATE NOW
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