DALLAS — The Thanksgiving holiday came with a surprise blessing for some seniors living across southern Dallas.
“I was totally surprised,” said Betty Young as she stood with her daughter outside Inspiring Body of Christ Church.
Young is among many Dallas County residents who are having a tough time making ends meet this year. She was part of a select group of renters asked to attend a special Thanksgiving service at IBOC on Thursday.
“We give out turkeys. We get young people out of jail. Whatever God allows us to do. We’ve never before been able to say to somebody we don’t want you outside if we can help it,” Senior Pastor Rickie Rush told members.
At one point during the service, the church announced it’s blessing 100 seniors with rental assistance to help them stay in their homes.
“God is an awesome God, and he works in mysterious ways. I was praying the other night, I didn’t know how my rent was going to be paid,” Betty Young explained.
The church is committing $100,000 to its new Home for Thanksgiving program.
”This means a lot to me,” Glinda Jones said.
The ministry is working with Dallas County Precinct 1 Judge Valencia Nash, Judge Thomas G. Jones, and Constable Tracey Gulley. Their team often has to execute eviction orders.
”At a time like this, especially with the pandemic, it’s saying that we need to keep seniors in their home and do all that we can do,” Jones explained.
The rental assistance is being processed through Precinct 1. It is going to help residents who are 65 and older or disabled.
Church members say the commitment is about community.