The Wright City Community Food Pantry is asking for extra help this holiday season to provide Thanksgiving, and Christmas meals and gifts to struggling families in Wright City. 

“Instead of worrying about survival, children (will) know there are those that care, that love, that share,” said Joseph Purl, pastor of the Wright City Church of the Nazarene. 

The church donates space and other services to help operate the food pantry. 

Individuals and groups can participate in the holiday collection. People may provide an entire food basket for Thanksgiving or Christmas, contribute to a Adopt-A-Family gift basket, give any part of a meal or gift item, or make a monetary donation. 

Each basket will be given to a family in need. 

“Many whose resources give them only day-to-day existence will not have the ability to gather the family around the table with a hearty meal. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich or a bowl of cereal will be all that greets them,” Purl said.

Without extra help, families in distress often don’t have a Christmas. When meals are hard to afford, gifts are impossible. 

“(For them) Christmas is just another day. Others will get special things while (these children) are left behind. This adds to the pile; no holidays, no gifts, no extras. All these add to the depressing thoughts. A full meal gives the family the stability to focus on hope for tomorrow,” Purl said.   

Items needed for a Thanksgiving food basket are a 10- to 12-pound turkey, one box of stuffing, one can of gravy, two cans of green beans, two cans of corn, 12 dinner rolls, one pound of butter or margarine, one can of cranberry sauce, potatoes and a pie.

Items needed for the Christmas breakfast basket are pancake mix, syrup and sausage.

For Christmas dinner, the request if for a ham, potatoes, two cans of corn, two cans of green beans, one can of gravy, one can of cranberry sauce, 1 pound of butter or margarine, 12 dinner rolls and a pie. Christmas dinner should also include a Christmas stocking for each child, which includes a packet of hot cocoa, candy cane, gloves, socks or a hat and a small toy.

Those who choose to adopt a family are helping parents put Christmas gifts under the tree. Individuals and groups who want to adopt a family and purchase gifts for that family will receive a wish list so they know what to shop for. 

In 2015 and 2016 a group of churches, individuals and businesses in Wright City worked together to make sure those families had food for Christmas Day. Purl said the food pantry is continuing that program. This is its first year.

The Wright City Community Food Pantry is stocked by Wright City citizens, churches and businesses. It serves people who live in the Wright City School District or within the Wright City ZIP code. Families in need are identified by groups that serve the public.  

“Investing in others that they might be restored is one of the foundations of our community. It’s what makes a community stable, secure and healthy. We don’t turn a cold shoulder but we rise to the occasion,” Purl said. “In many ways these are the things that our former mayor, David Heiliger, prized so much in our city. We are simply neighbors helping neighbors. That very torch is carried on by our mayor, Dan Rowden, and present aldermen.”

Rowden and several aldermen each pledged to donate $100 this year, and challenged area residents to follow their example.

“We’re going to donate, and we want our citizens to do the same - think about others as they think about Thanksgiving and Christmas coming up,” Rowden said. “There are a lot of people in our community who still are in need, and we appreciate the community’s support. They’ve always stepped up.”

Thanksgiving meals should be delivered by Nov. 17. Donations for Christmas meals begin Nov. 27 and are due by Dec. 15. Adopt-A-Family gifts also are due by Dec. 15. 

Donations should be delivered to Farmers Super Market, 103 W. 2nd St. N. in Wright City, or the Church of the Nazarene in Wright City, 521 W. Service Road N. in Wright City. Participants may request a pickup by calling the church. 

Cash donations are welcome. The cost for one basket is about $50. Checks should be made out to the Church of the Nazarene. The donor’s choice of Community Thanksgiving or Community Christmas should be noted in the memo section. 

For more information and to get involved, contact Purl at the Church of the Nazarene in Wright City at 636-745-3821 or pastor@wcnaz.com.