TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - When Wil Merrick took over the Flipper Chapel AME Church in 2012, he felt something was missing...a program to help feed the bread and butter of his congregation...the seniors.
"Every year churches and agencies give out Thanksgiving baskets and Christmas baskets and we were doing the distribution, and the conversation went toward, 'well, what about the rest of the year'?" said Pastor Wil Merrick.
So he reached out to Second Harvest. Four years later, the senior grocery program now provides goods to about 20 seniors the last Thursday of every month...seniors like Gertrude Washington.
"I eat. I've gotten so heavy, all of them talk about, 'hey, we can't pick you up, you's too heavy'," jokingly says Washington.
Her daughter Patricia Williams says the additional grocery items, from canned goods, fresh bread, and produce, help to supplement their pantry.
"It mean a lot because my mother is on a fixed income and I'm retired," explains Williams, "and the donation the church gives us is very appreciated, and they're always looking out for my mother."
Pastor Merrick says his church wouldn't be able to do this without the help of Second Harvest, and the community.
"Amazingly, this is the capitol of the state of Florida, but there are people who are not sure where their next meal is coming from," says Pastor Merrick, "and we can't do it all, we're just one congregation, but what we can do, we're trying to make an impact where we are."
Providing food, fellowship and the flexibility of living at home, to seniors like Gertrude.
"I wish everyone that's able to give, will give," says Williams, "and I challenge my former employees of Florida A&M where I retired from, to donate to Second Harvest."
