GYPSUM, Ohio — With Thanksgiving only a few days away, a non-profit in Ottawa County wants to make sure families have full tables for the holiday.
"This is what I live for, is to help people and to help them have a beautiful holiday with their family," President and CEO of Seed Faith Mission, Marie Berry, said.
Every Monday, Seed Faith Mission in Ottawa County hands out food to those in need. Ahead of the holiday, this week's meal also included a turkey and all the trimmings needed to fill the table for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Not only did organizers want to fill pantries and tables, they also wanted to ensure the wellness of every individual as well. To help with this, Seed Faith Mission invited the Erie County Mobile Health unit to offer vaccinations, physicals and dental care, making it easier for people to get the help they need in one stop.
"To be at the health department at a set time can be so difficult for some people, so they don't make it in," Jane Ehrnsberger, immunization services supervisor at Erie County Health Department, said. "And it's not just immunizations, it's dental as well."
The Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio was also on hand to give out $100 Kroger gift cards to anyone who received a flu vaccine.
"We want to increase health equity in underserved populations, we want to increase health equity in older adults 60 plus, and those persons with disabilities," Regina Russell with the Area Office in Aging of Northwestern Ohio said.
In the end, at least 50 Thanksgiving dinners were handed out, and even more people received food or medical assistance with the help of about a dozen Ottawa County volunteers.
"The Ottawa County Sheriff's deputies are here helping us, and our usual volunteers are out here," Berry said. "And I thank God for them because without them, we couldn't make all of this happen."
Along with their normal food distribution on Mondays, Berry said the Monday leading up to Christmas is also a pretty big one to attend as well.
Distribution is held every Monday at 10:30 a.m. at 974 S. Lake Street in Gypsum.