Life Line Ministries Launches Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway

Life Line Ministries Launches Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway

By Danny Cardwell · Allegheny Mountain Radio

Life Line Ministries in Hot Springs is launching a Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway for Bath County residents receiving SNAP benefits, with the first registration window opening Wednesday, September 16, from 2 to 4 PM at 136 Fairview Lane.

Pastor Zach Royer joined Allegheny Mountain Radio this month to talk about the new program: how it came together, who qualifies, and how folks in the community can get involved.

How the idea took shape

The program grew out of something Royer noticed while volunteering alongside a longer-running effort. For a number of years, Life Line Ministries has served as the operational base for the Bath County Christmas Mother:  a separate charitable program the ministry hosts in its facility each year but does not run.

This year, when Royer stepped into the gymnasium to check in, something struck him differently.

“I saw more items being boxed up and put together than I’ve ever seen in these years,” Royer said. “And it overwhelmed me, Danny, because I recognized that those items represent a number of things. First, they do represent the generosity of people. But secondly, they represent real need.”

He couldn’t shake what he’d seen. And it got him thinking about a different point on the calendar.

“Christmas is a great time of year to come together and be able to help people. But there is a major holiday right before Christmas where there is a big emphasis on family time getting together and having a meal — and that of course is Thanksgiving,” he said. “I just couldn’t help but to wonder to myself, how many of those packages represent families that struggle in the Thanksgiving season?”

Royer took the idea to the folks at Life Line Ministries.

“I believe the Lord has laid this in my heart,” he told them. “I want to meet those families where they are in the Thanksgiving season, at the very least, be able to supply those families with a Thanksgiving turkey.”

A turkey, he noted, is often the single greatest expense of the Thanksgiving meal.

“If we can help alleviate some of that, to help make Thanksgiving a bit more enjoyable and a little less stressful for families in our community — that’s the heart of what we intend to see happen.”

Royer was careful to emphasize the giveaway is meant as a supplement to, not a competition with, the Christmas Mother’s work.

A local partnership

Turkeys are being sourced through Valley Supermarket in Hot Springs. Royer went down and had a conversation with Jonah Ford about the idea.

“Jonah’s whole demeanor was like, yeah, we’re all in,” Royer said. “I want to just give a great, great appreciation, thanks, and an encouragement to people to continue to support our local Valley Supermarket, because they are really helping us to make this happen.”

Who qualifies

Because this is not the Christmas Mother program, the requirements are different.

“We are not asking for any proof of income. That’s not necessary for what we’re doing at all,” Royer said. “However, we just have three simple requests.”

To register, an individual must:

• Be a resident of Bath County

• Provide proof of SNAP assistance

• Provide an ID that matches the SNAP benefits card

“This is our first year,” Royer said. “So we’ll probably learn some things through this, but this being our first year, this is the route that we’re going at this point in time, just to kind of get our feet wet so we can learn things through the process as well.”

When and where to register

Registration takes place inside the Life Line Ministries sanctuary at 136 Fairview Lane in Hot Springs. Guests can enter through the main doors up the steps, or use the handicap ramp — both will be open. The registration table will be set up as soon as visitors walk in.

There are three registration dates with four total windows:

• Wednesday, September 16 — 2 PM to 4 PM

• Tuesday, October 13 — 10 AM to noon, and again 5 PM to 7 PM

• Sunday, October 25 — 3 PM to 5 PM

The October 13 date is scheduled to overlap with a Bath County Christmas Mother registration event also being held at Life Line Ministries that day, Royer said, so families can potentially register for both in a single trip.

Mary Altizer is serving as the point person for the giveaway.

“Mary is great with organization,” Royer said. “She’s got one of the most welcoming postures that I have ever seen.”

Registration itself is short — essentially a documentation step so names can be matched at pickup, Royer said. Members of the Life Line congregation have volunteered to staff the tables.

A provision for elderly residents

Royer also announced a fifth option for older residents who cannot drive themselves to register.

“If they will simply call us, we will have a team that is more than happy to come to their door, to meet them, to get their information, and deliver their turkey to them on delivery day,” he said.

This provision is exclusive to elderly Bath County residents unable to drive, since the ministry cannot deliver to every registered household.

Pickup date to come

The pickup date for those who register has not yet been set. It depends on Valley Supermarket’s processing timeline, as well as cold-storage logistics — Life Line Ministries does not have facilities to hold that many frozen turkeys at once. Royer said the date “will be forthcoming soon.”

How to help — or learn more

For anyone who wants to donate, volunteer, or help spread the word:

• Share the program’s post on the Life Line Ministries church Facebook page

• Call Life Line Ministries at 540-531-2092

• Call Mary Altizer directly at 540-968-2800

If you go

The first registration window is Wednesday, September 16, from 2 to 4 PM at Life Line Ministries, 136 Fairview Lane, Hot Springs. Bring your SNAP benefits card and a matching ID.

Listen to our full interview below: