N.C. A&T Alumni Times

Thanksgiving kicks off the peak season for charities, nonprofits and churches to provide resources to those in need. It’s also when Pastor Robert Williams ’73 and Dian Williams ’72 exemplify the spirit of Aggies Do through their community service.

Since 2010, the Williams have been serving their community with their church, Williams Memorial CME Church in High Point, North Carolina, by feeding 10,000 families for Thanksgiving.

Pastor Robert Williams has served Williams Memorial CME Church for 42 years while Dian Williams is an employee at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University.

“I remember seeing a vision from God of us feeding people in our community,” Pastor Williams said. “When I brought the idea to the members of the church, everyone welcomed the initiative and we started raising money and working together as a team to meet our food quantity numbers.

“Our first year, we fed 5,000 families,” he said. “Today, we have exceeded that number, and we are now feeding 10,000 in High Point.”

From May to November, Williams Memorial CME Church selects a month for everyone to bring certain food donations and members make monthly pledges to meet fundraising goals.

Each box distributed for Thanksgiving contains a frozen turkey and nonperishable food that can feed a family of five.

“Our Thanksgiving initiative is a blessing to our city. We receive numerous letters and testimonies from people who didn’t know how they were going to eat but they stood in line at our church and were given a meal,” said Dian Williams. “It really makes you feel good to serve the people God has sent to you to be a blessing.”

Church members and local youth organizations volunteer to help with packing and distributing food. The event takes place annually on the Tuesday during the week of Thanksgiving.

For information about Williams Memorial CME Church, please visit www.williamsmemorialcme.org.