It has been a tough year for many families still feeling the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their health and households.
“Food is a struggle," Dallas resident Letha Reese said. "I don’t work anymore now. I’m retired."
That’s why distribution events, like the one hosted by St. Luke “Community” United Methodist Church on Saturday, are so important. The church distributed COVID-19 vaccines, tests, booster shots and food to those in need.
“You thank God for this," Reese said. "This is a lifesaver because those boxes of fruit and vegetables will stretch if you really know how to cook them."
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Pastor Richie Butler said the church hoped to vaccinate more people before cold weather pushes big groups indoors.
”We’re working feverishly to reach those who are anti-vax or those who just lack information,” Butler said.
He said the church hoped to make the food drive a monthly event in order to continue nourishing both the bodies and the minds of those who attend.
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“We are continuing to work every day to just try to educate and convince people and help people see the light that a vaccine is not their enemy but it actually is a way out of this pandemic,” Butler said.
Aside from vaccine drives, church members also go door-to-door in neighborhoods to encourage people to get vaccinated.
According to church officials, more vaccine clinics are planned for the future.