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Big Star, FUMC team to help families during holidays

First United Methodist Church and Big Star Supermarket of Russellville are teaming to help needy families during the November-December holiday season.

For the next two months, Big Star customers can purchase a pre-bagged sack of groceries for only $5. Each of the grocery bags will be given to the First United Methodist Church food pantry for local distribution to families who need assistance with food.

Each bag, sold at Big Star's actual cost, includes tuna, crackers, macaroni and cheese, soup and a bag of rice. If a customer purchases the bag and doesn't want to take it to the organization of family of his or her choice, the store will donate the bag to the church.

Big Star owner Hal Keeton said he has done a similar promotion with his Red Bay location and has found it to be a great way to help folks at home in their community.

In Red Bay, we had some first graders take up money and do this as a class project. They came in and bought several bags for distribution. It could be a worthwhile project for a Sunday School class, school or civic group to do a project that benefits people right here in Russellville,” Keeton said.

It's very important to us at Big Star to keep the assistance right here in our local community. We want to be a strong supporter of local folks,” Keeton added.

First United Methodist operates a food pantry out of the church office. Families or individuals in need can come in and receive a bag of food on either Wednesday or Thursday mornings from 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m., at the church office. Each family may receive assistance only once every 90 days to ensure that the pantry can serve as many families as possible.

In addition to the food pantry, FUMC also sponsors the giveaway of food boxes during months that have a fifth Thursday, like this month. This project supplements the Faith Mission Outreach food box giveaway that takes place the first four Thursdays of each month.

FUMC member Buddy Perdue said the church has small groups that each came up with mission projects to serve the community. Perdue's group took on the project of providing food boxes for local families on months with five Thursdays.

Our study group came up with the idea once we found out the mission didn't give out food on fifth Thursdays,” Perdue said. “Our group took that project on and this bag promotion will be added to that.”

First United Methodist Church is located at 311 North Jackson Ave. For more information on the church's food pantry, call 256-332-2955.

Big Star Supermarket is the anchor tenant of the Big Star Shopping Center located at 314 South Jackson Ave.

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