WHEELING — The Bethlehem Temple Food Ministries will once again provide Thanksgiving food baskets to those in need to begin this holiday season.

Baskets containing the makings for a full Thanksgiving meal — and a little bit more to eat later — will be distributed beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday at the North Wheeling Community Dream Center, 407 N. Main St., Wheeling.

The Rev. Darrell Cummings said as many as 1,000 have turned out in past years to receive the baskets, but most years the number averages around 500.

The church typically budgets about $10,000 to $15,000 for the baskets. A recent basketball game featuring Wheeling city officials, and a match-up between Martins Ferry and Wheeling firefighters helped raise some money.

“We are prepared to meet the need as we have in the past,” Cummings said. “We want to provide not just a meal for a day — but a meal for a week. People always say leftovers are the best part of the meal.

“Thanksgiving is a time when families come together for a meal. And a family who comes together, prays together, stays together.”

Cummings said many of the people he talks to at the giveaways tell him they work every day and earn a living, but still wouldn’t be able to afford a special meal for Thanksgiving. They tell him their Thanksgiving meal would be the same as it would be for any other day, if not for the food baskets.

“No matter what negative thing is going on, this dinner is something they can look forward to,” Cummings said. “Especially with the closing of hospitals and the layoffs, we still think a great place to be.

“We want to thank all of our partners who help us to do this.”

The start of the holiday season has Cummings thinking about former Ohio Valley Medical Center staff, and the church’s upcoming Christmas giveaway in December.

Past years saw OVMC not only financially assisting the church with the event, but also providing medical professionals to do medical screenings for those who attend.

He remembers during one recent year OVMC personnel took the blood pressure of a person at the giveaway, and determined it to be dangerously high. They called for an emergency crew as the person was having a stroke and didn’t realize it, according to Cummings.

“They probably saved that person’s life,” he said of the OVMC staff on site. “We will miss them medically and financially.

“For the last 4-5 years, OVMC was a partner for the Christmas giveaway. We are actively trying to find another partner, and we are confident it will happen.”

He said the timing is going to be tight, as there will be only about three weeks between the Thanksgiving and Christmas giveaways to find a partner.

“But God is good,” Cummings said. “It will all work out. We just don’t know how.”

Photo by Mark Law

Mingo Junction Social Services distributed 235 Thanksgiving baskets to families in need on Wednesday. Helping were, from left, Kristen Wheeler-Kurner of Wheeler Funeral Home; Sophie Schoolcraft, director; Cathy DiBenedetto, Indian Creek Junior High School National Junior Honor Society adviser; D’Andrea Harper, volunteer; Addyson Banks, honor society member; Linda Caputo, volunteer; Pressley Snodgrass, honor society member; and Brandon Matuska of Williams Energy. Several organizations, schools, churches, including St. John Byzantine Church, and businesses have donated money and food items for the baskets. Christmas baskets will be distributed from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 19.