Community Table -Feeding 1,200 In One Day

Denton/Argyle, TX, November 11, 2023: Community Table is an annual Argyle United Methodist Church drive-thru event that in 2023, will provide an entire Thanksgiving meal to 1,200 Denton/Argyle area food insecure neighbors in partnership with Health Services of North Texas. These pre-registered HSNT families receive a meal lovingly cooked and packed specifically for them.

The drive-thru portion of the event is Saturday, November 11, 2023, but more than 150 area volunteers have been involved with the planning and preparing to cook in the last few months. Providing an entire Thanksgiving Meal to 1,200 individuals can be broken down into ingredients:

–          31 pounds of green bans utilized in 61 pans of green beans

–          351 pounds of cornbread utilized in 75 pans of cornbread dressing

–          480 pounds of potatoes for 60 pans of mashed potatoes

–          450 pounds of turkey

–          300 pounds of gravy

–          2,400 rolls

–          150 pies  

–          A whole lot of love!

“Community Table gives more than just a delicious Thanksgiving meal to a family that needs a hand up, it gives hope and encouragement. Hope that people care, encouragement that through this gift of a meal a family has one less thing to worry about,” says Teri Johnson, Director of Marketing & Communications for Health Services of North Texas. “Argyle UMC has been providing hope and encouragement to families at Health Services of North Texas for more than 20 years.”

Associate Pastor Rev. Jennifer Stevens says, “Argyle United Methodist Church is grateful for the opportunity to partner with HSNT each year as we support and live in community with those experiencing food insecurity. Throughout the New Testament we have opportunity to take a peek inside meals that Jesus shared with those around him. Whether it be a meal at the table or an opportunity to share of our own blessings for others to put on their table, the gift of grace and love shared through a hot meal prepared by our community and for others in our community, is the church at its best.”

Food insecurity is a lack of consistent access to enough food for an active, healthy life which often equates to missed meals or unhealthy choices.

·         Feeding America indicates that the food insecurity rate is 12.9 percent in North Texas.

·         The North Texas Food Bank translates this to 1 in 8 people, including 1 in 5 children.

·         The National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities pointedly describes, “limited or uncertain access to adequate and affordable nutritious foods and is a major public health concern… Food insecurity and the lack of access to affordable nutritious food are associated with increased risk for multiple chronic health conditions such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, mental health disorders and other chronic diseases.”

As this event has evolved over the last 20 years, Sue Herring has been there for almost all of it. With 17 years of Community Table experience, she’s seen it grow from serving 100 individuals to 1,200 this year. “The one thing I know is without the help from our wonderful church family and the support of others all guided by God’s grace and love, we could not experience the joy of our guests enjoying their Thanksgiving dinner.” Jennifer Anderson, Community Table’s 2023 Mission Lead, believes “we are called to care for our neighbors. Through this mission, we are able to make significant impact on our community and share God’s love and blessings. By working together, it’s amazing how our resources are multiplied.” 

About Argyle United Methodist Church: In response to an individual and collective connection to Jesus, we connect people to each other and connect people to ministry. Living in response to His love, we grow together as disciples with a mission of transforming the world one life at a time.   www.argyleumc.org

About Health Services of North Texas, Inc: HSNT is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing quality, affordable medical care for the entire family, from newborns to seniors, including prenatal care, counseling services, chronic and infectious disease care management, and prescription assistance programs. HSNT is a responsive organization with a long history of providing for the changing needs of our communities. https://healthservicesntx.org