When: Dec. 17 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Where: Big Barn Convention Center, 388 Ja-Max Drive, Hillsborough
Cost: Free
BY BETH VELLIQUETTE
bvelliquette@heraldsun.com; 419-6632
HILLSBOROUGH — Ten years ago, a Hillsborough couple got the notion they wanted to do something to help the needy.
They felt called by God.
It was the kind of thought that many people have around the holidays, who then go out and buy a sweatshirt for an unknown boy whose name they took off the company Christmas tree. They feel good about themselves for a few minutes and then go on with their lives.
Kevin and Laurie Bragg were kind of like that, except they decided to buy some food and hold a free Christmas dinner for people who were struggling and might not be able to afford a nice dinner.
Kevin contacted his cousin, Kelly Akins, who at the time had his restaurant, Kelsey’s, on Churton Street, and the three of them planned and cooked the dinner and put the word out they were having a free Christmas dinner at Kelsey’s.
About 100 people squeezed into that tiny restaurant the night of the first meal. They ate and celebrated together as Santa passed out a couple of presents to the children.
Ten years later, and some things have changed.
Akins now runs his restaurant at the Occoneechee Steakhouse. Laurie Bragg is still a clerk at the Orange County Courthouse, but her husband, Kevin Bragg, lost his job as an upholsterer in 2007, and now he works events as a parking monitor and also videotapes weddings.
They’re just regular hard-working people who have done amazing things.
This year will be their 10th year holding the dinner.
“Oh, Wow,” Kevin Bragg said. “It’s grown in so many different ways. Of course it’s the amount of people and the donations.”
Last year, more than 700 people received a free Christmas dinner. Gospel groups sang, and children as well as adults received gifts.
The first year, about 15 people volunteered to help, which included cooking and serving the dinner and delivering dinners to home bound people. Last year, so many people volunteered that once they reached about 50, they had to start turning volunteers away.
This year, they again expect more than 700 people who will need dinners. Volunteers will deliver some of the meals, other people will drop by and pick up a take-out dinner, and some will sit down and join the festivities.
“I think it’s going to be more than it was last year,” Laurie Bragg said. “The reason why is we have so many people that need help this year. So many people lost their jobs and are out of work.”
Those who know the trio have offered donations of gifts and food and money, and a number of churches have also become involved. They send their gospel choirs to entertain those at the dinner as well as offer donations.
Shortly after the Braggs started their ministry, they obtained nonprofit status, and they call their organization, “Feeding the People Ministries.”
For the past couple years, their ministry has been working year round, organizing the collections of food to donate to Orange Congregations in Missions, (OCIM) for its food bank.
The group is trying to target certain groups, including the homeless, single parents, widows and widowers, the elderly, sick and shut-in, college students and those who have lost their jobs. They hope, than in addition to providing a free dinner, they’ll be able to give them something extra to help them get by.
Some will receive Angel Food boxes that the ministry buys from Angel Food Ministries. The boxes cost between $20 and $30 but contain about $80 worth of food.
“We try to help the college students,” Laurie Bragg said. “We try to give them a little something to help with their books.”
Akins and his kitchen crew once again will be doing most of the cooking, and a second caterer will be bringing in deserts to supplement the many deserts that people bake at home and donate on the night of the dinner.
The doors are open to everyone. No reservation required.
Want to donate presents, food or money? Go to: www.feedingthepeopleministry.homestead.com or call Kevin Bragg at 732-2724.
