LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - Thanksgiving is a time of being grateful, but for many people it is also a time of giving and helping those in need.
On Tuesday evening, thousands of Arkansans received Thanksgiving meals at Feeding The Multitude Food Drive at the State Fairgrounds in Little Rock. The Union Rescue Mission distributed nearly 1,400 Thanksgiving food boxes to folks in Central Arkansas.
Area agencies, such as St. Francis House and Agape Church, referred families to the Mission for help. The people involved say it's nice to help families who are struggling financially.
William Towlett, Executive Director for the Union Rescue Mission, refers to these meals as "hand ups" and not "hand outs."
"We're trying to touch the lives of people just on the edge," Towlett said. "We want to be that entity to help them."
The Union Rescue Mission conducts the Feeding the Multitudes each year. Local churches, schools, and civic organizations collect food items for the drive.