HOLIDAY MEALS 12/23/20

Mph with community members continue to spread the holiday spirit to folks in need.

Due to covid-19, some families are concerned where their next meal will come from.

Our stephanie poole speaks with one local woman who has fed dozens, making sure a hot meal is on their table.

Take a look.

Every morning, saperior patton rolls out bed with one mission on her mind, giving back to her community.

" we got a call on a tuesday, well a text message on a tuesday saying that we wouldn't be back to work because of the pandemic.

I work with kids with emotional and behavioral problems. there's a lot of foster kids in foster care and i just thought about them.

We were at the table and i said 'i think i want to feed people.

She said you do?and i said yeah i think god put it on my heart.

She said let's do it!

" patton opened her wallet, using the last of what she had.

"i had 50 dollars in my pocket.

I took that 50 dollars and i went to the grocery store plus i had some things at home.

I combined those and i did 25 plates the first time."

That's when patton realized more families may need assistance.

She started to post meals on her facebook page...now, a few weeks later, dozens visit the page starkville strong.

" i posted on that page just to get exposure to anybody who needed a meal and it blew up from there.

There were people that i just know that needed the meal.

Some people, that's the only home-cooked meal they get."

She's delivered over 2-thousand meals since march...recipes ranging from spaghetti to steak.

But it wouldn't have been done without a few helping hands... " the first restaurant that reached out to me to help was 1883 smokehouse.

From then, umi's, the rosie baby, where's the food, and other organizations have helped me."

On christmas day, nearly 150 families will receive a meal.

"i had different people to help to make treats, to cook the meals, different people to give gas money, and to give me money for food,and i had people to donate food."

Patton hopes those in her community will continue to pay it forward.

" it doesn't have to be something so big because this started out so small, i just kept on going.

Everybody has a part to play.

Just be kind."

Reporting in oktibbeha county, stephanie poole, wcbi news.

Patton is starting a foundation named ' safe place foundation incorporated for at-risk youth and community members.

You can also apply for meal assistance on her facebook page or on starkville strong.

Those are listed on our website, wcbi-dot com.