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August 10, 2008

Churches, businesses provide school supplies at Feed the Neighborhood

More than a thousand people went through lines for free school supplies and shoes during the annual back-to-school giveaway at Feed the Neighborhood, sponsored by four Enid churches and two corporations.

The Rev. Brad Mendenhall, pastor of World Harvest Church, said his church was joined this year by three others — Grace World Outreach, Harvest Time and Covenant Life Fellowship — to distribute the free supplies, shoes and feed the neighborhood. Two Enid corporations, Continental Resources and Cummins Construction, helped underwrite the event this year, Mendenhall said. Continental Resources paid for school supplies and backpacks, and Cummins Construction paid for shoes. The shoes were given in the form of $15 vouchers that are redeemable at Kmart, Wal-Mart, The Shoe Store and Payless Shoes.

Brian Engel, vice president for public affairs for Continental Resources, said the company was proud to be part of the effort.

“We’re excited to be part of the Feed the Neighborhood event. It will do a lot of good for people who need a helping hand,” Engel said. “When students are prepared for the first day of school, the rest of the year goes easier.”

Rob Cummins, president of Cummins Construction, said they sponsored 1,500 shoe vouchers.

“We heard people were turned away last year because there were not enough,” Cum-mins said.

He said Stan Brownlee of Continental Resources got him started working with children at Adams Elementary School and this is an outreach of that.

“This is why we do it,” he said as he handed a voucher to a grinning boy.

Jennifer Helms escorting her children through the line said the giveaway is a good thing.

“There are a lot of people here who can’t afford to buy supplies and they get them. The whole community gets together and does this,” she said.

The said it made starting school easier.

This is the eighth year World Harvest has hosted the event and it has grown each year. They started in the parking lot of their church.

In addition to school supplies and shoes, there was free food, drinks, games and on-site haircuts. Mendenhall said they planned for 3,000 people.

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