Living Well Ministry in Ocean Springs is working to spread a little holiday cheer to the less fortunate in the area on Thanksgiving Day. To provide as much help as possible, they’re asking the community to donate what they can to provide a solid holiday experience for those in need. The group meets with the homeless in Ocean Springs every Thursday for a devotion and to provide other needs with area churches providing breakfast and donations.
The group usually sees anywhere from 10 to 40 people attend depending on the weather. On regular days, there are options in the city for these people to then receive meals, but this is not the case with the Thanksgiving holiday being on Thursday. So, Living Well plans to have their regular Thursday meeting on Thanksgiving Day and provide a holiday meal, as well as bags of non-perishable food items, to those in need. So far, the group has more than doubled their goal of $250 to provide a traditional Thanksgiving meal for this community on Thursday.
The meal will be provided in to go boxes. Volunteer Amy Mitchell Ferrer said they’re expecting between 40 and 50 people to attend the Thanksgiving meal at Fort Maurepas. “It’s been a really huge blessing,” she said. “People have really stepped up.” They are also asking for more non-perishable items – such as tuna kits, granola bars, water/Gatorade and so on – to go in what they are calling “manna” bags to give out that day to help get them through the rest of the day without a meal.
The volunteers will also have their regular devotion time with the group. According to Ferrer, the main objective for Living Well, which was started locally, is to care for the homeless community. They used to have a building in the area but are currently in transition, so they don’t have a current physical location. The group also works to meet the additional needs of this community by helping with case management, helping them to get driver’s licenses, helping them look for and apply for jobs and helping them get to and from doctor’s appointments. Ferrer’s family has been involved with the ministry for a few years, and they wanted to make sure this help continued on Thanksgiving – when other options are limited.
Living Well Ministry also hosts a big Christmas event for this community with gifts, stockings, and more on Christmas Day.
Donations can be sent to Attn: Cindy Jacobs, 1581 Bienville Blvd. #2028, Ocean Springs, MS 39566. For non-perishable donations, contact Ferrer at 228-383-1294.
