Church hands out backpacks, supplies
Published 1:34 pm Saturday, July 29, 2017
- Photo by Jordan Miles Members of the King Street Church pose after handing out loads of school supplies in Drakes Branch on Saturday morning. Pictured are, from left, Elise Marston, Naomi Eppes, Kathy Griffith, Brookie Malcolm, Amanda Malcolm, Shilah Eppes, Arizona Eppes and Ariel Eppes.
The newly-formed King Street Church handed out 72 backpacks to school-aged children and their parents and families Saturday morning in Drakes Branch.
“This is our first and it’s going to be annual,” church member and event organizer Kathy Griffith said while standing outside a small tent on Main Street.
Earlier in the day, when the school supply event first began, a large line of people crowded the sidewalk in search of free Crayons, scissors, paper, notebooks, glue and other school supplies in advance of the looming first day of school for Charlotte County Public Schools.
When asked what the impetus was behind the inaugural event, Griffith responded, “Because the Lord loves us so much and we want to love the people in Charlotte County and we want to share that by providing people the things that they need that they aren’t necessary capable of getting themselves and backpacks, and (distributing) school supplies is a great way to do it.”
Photo by Jordan Miles
Elise Marston prays with Lisa Nichols after Nichols was given school supplies for her five school-aged children.
She said there were about 780 single families in Charlotte County. “So we really want to cater to families that are in need.”
“And people were lined up down the street, if you could believe that in Drakes Branch,” Griffith said.
About six members of the church came out and helped during the event.
“We are His hands and feet,” she said, noting the giveaway would expand next year.
“This is a blessing for us,” said parent Lisa Nichols, who has five children about to begin school.
“I mean, with money being so tight, you know, we’re wondering how we’re going to get school supplies, you know, clothing. It’s just hard. It’s hard.”
The 72 backpacks and most of the school supplies were distributed in about an hour and 12 minutes, event organizers said.
“We got this together in three weeks,” Griffin said.
She said donations for the school supplies came from various people in the community, and the church made a sizeable donation to purchase the supplies.
The church handed out a postcard to each child, reading, “You are a child of God … You are wonderfully made, dearly loved and precious in His sight. Before God made you, he knew you … There is no one else like you!” sourcing Psalm 139 in the bible.
The church is located at 150 King St. in Keysville, and meets at 10:30 a.m. Sundays.
