Spreading Hope & Filling Stomachs: One Community, One Day at a Time
Photo Credit © Natalie Thomas.
Whether it’s making afterschool snacks for her children’s friends, repairing bibles in Alabama, teaching sign language in Kenya, or inspiring young minds through Sunday School classes, Natalie Thomas is tirelessly dedicated to impacting other people positively. Through her work with Christian Stronghold Baptist Church (CSC) in Philadelphia, Natalie has spent countless hours feeding the hungry, fostering community and bettering people’s lives in both the US and abroad.
Fighting Hunger at Home
By her own account, Natalie “grew up really poor and often hungry.” She never wanted others to feel that pain, so she’s spent much of her adult life on helping people – near and far – get the food, resources and support they need to succeed.
On a personal level, she’s proud her house is the place her children’s friends knew they could always come for an afterschool snack or an extra plate on Thanksgiving. However, she’s also actively involved in the Church’s community support and hunger alleviation efforts.
According to the most recent data, 1 in 9 Americans battled food insecurity before COVID-19 [FN1]. In Philadelphia, that number was even higher at almost 1 in 5 residents [FN2]. Now, as a result of the ongoing pandemic and economic downturn, millions more are turning to food banks, pantries, meal programs and neighbors to survive these challenging times.
CSC has been quick to help. Many people in the Church’s community were left without access to food and necessities following the looting/destruction of neighborhood pharmacies and grocery stores earlier this summer. In response, Christian Stronghold partnered with local food banks to deliver canned goods, fresh fruits & vegetables, bread and milk to neighbors in need. Like many of the Church’s other efforts, donations work on a “give us names” system: community and church members let volunteers know about families in need, then CSC sends food during the next delivery. Food is now distributed about once a week.
Some of Christian Stronghold’s other, long-standing community programs include:
Thanksgiving baskets
Throughout November, churchgoers give members of the Deaconess Ministry the names of people in need. Then, at the end of the month, CSC gives these families all the ingredients needed (including the turkey!) to prepare a full Thanksgiving meal.
Christmas “Angel Tree” and dinner
CSC also comes together to buy gifts for less fortunate children during the holiday season. Each year, individual church members pick a name off the Angel Tree and purchase the requested gift(s). Then, just before Christmas, children receive their gifts during a large, celebratory dinner.
Partnership with Blankenburg Elementary School
Christian Stronghold has “adopted” Blankenburg Elementary – the school just behind the Church. Volunteers deliver food to hungry families, tutor students, and sponsor the school’s highly successful chess club.
An annual carnival in the Church parking lot
CSC organizes a carnival each year in the Church’s parking lot, complete with rides, games, healthy meals and funnel cake. It’s something the community looks forward to all year and a great opportunity for local families who may not be able to visit more-expensive amusement parks.
Biannual SAT practice tests
The Church administers free SAT practice tests twice a year. This allows local students practice sitting for the exam and find-out what they need to study to improve their score.
In addition to donations, the Church’s community efforts are now also supported by an affiliated non-profit, ALPHA CDC, which functions to collect additional funds for the group’s critical work.
Work to End Global Hunger
CSC’s work with hunger doesn’t stop at their West Philly community, however. The nearly 4000-member church also has many passionate missionaries who go on annual mission trips to Mississippi, Kenya, Guatemala, Panama and more. Some members are full-time missionaries, while others (like Thomas) participate in short-term mission trips when able.
Domestically, Natalie has travelled most often to Alabama. While there, she repairs bibles and other members of the group sort & organize Christian literature, which is then distributed to those that need it. One of her favorite parts about these trips has been sharing the experience with three of her eldest grandchildren. It’s important to Natalie that younger generations realize that not everyone has the same life and opportunities they do, so she takes her younger family members on mission trips to drive that point home. Eventually she hopes that one or more of her grandchildren will accompany her on an international mission trip as well.
Internationally, CSC sends missionaries with all sorts of backgrounds and skills – teachers, carpenters, plumbers, doctors, nurses and more – to help global communities in whatever way possible. Natalie speaks fondly of two missions, in particular: one that she took to Kenya and another that fellow missionaries took to Guatemala. In Kenya, she and her group donated food, taught classes about healthy relationships and shared their faith with members of the local community. Natalie also led praise dancing classes and taught students how to sign a special song in ASL. In Guatemala, the CSC missionaries worked with locals to build safe, outdoor cooking stoves, plus donated money for food and reusable water filters.
This year Natalie and her group at CSC had planned to travel to Panama. However, in light of COVID-19 and the continued travel restrictions, they have decided to donate their saved money instead.
Looking Forward
Natalie wishes more people would “open their eyes” when it comes to food insecurity and hunger.
“There are people don’t have enough to eat right here,” she explains, “There are people who are starving right here.” She says we must start by looking around our communities: “look for the people in need, there are always people with less than you.”
Then, if you want to get involved in helping, there are lots of opportunities! Natalie recommends first Googling where you can volunteer, and always doing a little extra research before you donate (to make sure the organization is legitimate). Often, it’s best to plug-in with an already-existing agency or organization instead of trying to start a new group. As Natalie explains, “You don’t need to reinvent the wheel – just find a wheel and roll with it.”
If you’d rather help fight hunger on a more global level, consider donating to one of these international hunger relief organizations. Based on her years of experience, Natalie suggests sending money instead of goods. While in-kind shipments are sometimes beneficial (or even necessary), it’s often easier and more secure to send money when offering international aid.
“Feed the hungry, and help those in trouble. Then your light will shine out from the darkness, and the darkness around you will be as bright as noon.” -Isaiah 58:10
If you would like to learn more about CSC and their work, please click here. To donate, please click here.
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