Good Cheer Gift Card Distribution serves over 800 families

Volunteer Gantt Folline prays with two women during the Good Cheer Gift Card Distribution at Star Gospel Mission.

In keeping with the Star Gospel Mission tradition, more than 800 families received a grocery store gift card to help ease the financial burden of the holidays.

Those needing extra support signed up for an appointment during the Good Cheer Gift Card Distribution Dec. 6 to 10. Funds for the gift card distribution were provided by the Good Cheer Fund. 

The Mission relied on volunteers to serve and pray with their neighbors, explained the Mission’s executive director, the Rev. Dr. Marion Platt.

“Every day, we had six volunteers who helped us serve the hundreds who came through our doors,” Dr. Platt said. “For some of the volunteers, it was their first time ever serving with us.”

Leslie Graham served three full days last week.

“It was very humbling for me. A lot of the community members that came to receive the gift card expressed some of the situations that they were currently facing,” she said. “Some people were really struggling, trying to make it from day to day.”

One woman was battling breast cancer. Some people were feeling all alone. Other folks were experiencing homelessness.

The Rev. Dr. Marion Platt poses with Volunteer Leslie Graham.

After filling out the necessary paperwork, the volunteers asked for prayer requests.

“That’s when I would normally get the stories,” Mrs. Graham said.

Along with adding their needs to a prayer list, volunteers were encouraged to pray with the individuals. Many people thankfully accepted her offer for immediate prayer, Mrs. Graham said.

Twice, when the prayer concluded, the person had tears in their eyes, so moved by the specificity of the heavenly petition.

“They asked me, ‘How did you know?’” Mrs. Graham said. “I told them I didn’t know. It was just the Holy Spirit.”

The volunteer caseworkers only needed about 10 minutes to gather information and give out the gift card.

“But some people had a lot to get off their chest,” Mrs. Graham said.

One woman came to her appointment after visiting her mother’s grave for her birthday. She was still crying and upset, telling Mrs. Graham how heartbroken she felt.

“I took a little longer with her,” she said.

Volunteer Everette Platt embraces a woman during the Good Cheer Gift Card Distribution.

Mrs. Graham interned with Star Gospel Mission as part of her theological seminary coursework. However, the gift card disruption was a more intimate experience, even compared to other volunteer opportunities in the past.

“This just seemed different,” she said. “People opened up a little more. I got to embrace them and help them feel the love of Jesus through me.”

Assistance with dignity

Gantt Folline was one of several parishioners from St. Philip’s Church to volunteer during the distribution week. It was his second year acting as a volunteer caseworker.

“It’s just been a blessing to do it again this year,” he said. “It was a moving experience.”

For a second time, Mr. Folline was impressed with how well the event was organized and how warmly gift card recipients were invited into Star Gospel Mission.

“It’s a Christ-centered, dignified opportunity to work with others during the Christmas season in a way that I believe mimics the larger family in heaven,” he said. “I certainly felt the presence of the Lord.”

Members of the community talk and pray with their volunteer caseworkers during the gift card distribution.

Star Gospel Mission is one of three ministries St. Philip’s Church chose to partner with this last year. Mr. Folline, part of the Home Missions Team for the church, remembered that the decision came shortly after Dr. Platt took on leadership of the Mission.

“We had him come speak to our group. We were so moved by his leadership and plans, we immediately became more fully involved,” said Mr. Folline.

As the owner of a commercial real estate appraisal business, Mr. Folline is pretty busy during the week. However, he signed up for a volunteer shift as soon as he got the email about the distribution this year.

“It’s a blessing to be a part of it for just a few hours on a Saturday,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to meet new people and to share in the season.”

To volunteer with Star Gospel Mission, call 843-722-2473 or email info@stargospelmission.org.