209 benefit

Church members in Odessa are practicing what they preach with an event today to help 209 needy families through the “Revolution Overflow” charity drive.

Pastors at CrossRoads Fellowship have been teaching “Revolution” during the past few months, a program that emphasizes being grateful for what you have and giving back to the community. Members of the congregation are volunteering with 10 other nonprofit organizations as another way of showing their commitment to giving back to the community

The church gathered $65,000 worth of donations to give to the families.

The church worked with ECISD to select families who need the most help. The families sent in the clothing and shoe sizes for each family member.

Between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. today, the families can pick up their items at Floyd Gwin Park, 1015 N. West County Road. Volunteers from the church had three weeks to shop and each family will receive clothes, shoes, a box of toiletries, a box of groceries and a box to make a Thanksgiving dinner.

“There’s a lot of people this holiday season that have nothing, and we’re blessed and we have so much. I think this is a good way to show my girls that it’s not always receiving that counts,” volunteer Candy Sinar said. Sinar will have her daughters at the donation center today to give them the chance to give back too.

Each family has been assigned a number and will pick up their packages anonymously.

“We realize that times are hard because of the economy and if we can make a difference with just one family, or 209, then it’s worth it,” church official Reggie Baker said.