I Choose Life Ministries is feeding the community for Thanksgiving, not only with a Thanksgiving meal but also with something to satisfy their hunger for a lifetime.

“Hungry for Jesus” is an event that will feed 1,000 families in the Pike County area. Each family that registers will receive a full meal to feed their entire family at no cost.

“We want to bless as many people as possible,” said J.R. Peterson with I Choose Life Ministries. “They may come for the food, but they are going to leave with the word.”

The food provided will not be cooked, so that each family can experience the joys of cooking a full meal on Thanksgiving Day.

“Not everybody likes gospel music, the hymns or contemporary Christian music,” Peterson said. “But everybody likes food. We are using food as a way to draw as many people as possible.”

Hungry for Jesus will begin at 9 a.m. Nov. 20 at the Sportsplex softball field parking lot. Several volunteers, including the Alpha Gamma Delta Sorority, will be on site helping distribute the food.

To register for a meal, one must call 334-635-9004 to reserve a meal.

“We don’t want to see your paycheck,” Peterson said. “People who need this food will get it.”

Each family will receive the amount of food necessary to fulfill the family’s needs.

The deadline for reserving a meal is Nov. 13, but the meals are going quickly.

Approximately 640 meals have been reserved after a “sneak peak” Facebook post was published just five days ago, according to Peterson.

Those who have reserved a meal are required to bring an ID to pickup the meal, so that everyone gets the meals they have registered for.

“We just want to be a light in the community,” Peterson said. “We want to share the love of God so that it draws people into the church.”

Peterson said that there is no such thing as too many volunteers, and anyone wanting to help out can give him a call at 334-372-6462.

“We want to make sure that these people have a meal for Thanksgiving,” Peterson said.