Thanksgiving came two weeks early for the hundreds of people who walked into Great Commission Ministries (GMC) yesterday for a hot and hearty meal.

GCM Director Bishop Walter Hanchell said in recent years, an increasing number of people have reached out for assistance following the downturn in the local economy.

“There are a lot hurting who need a good and healthy meal and this is what we do everything,” Bishop Hanchell said.

“Normally, we feed about 500 persons daily, but every year this gets bigger and bigger. This year that number is expected to rise to about 1,500.”

While Bishop Hanchell applauded the government for what it has done to help those affected by the country’s still bruised economy, he said more support is needed from others.

“We need more help. We are appealing to the government, to the public to give us more assistance because more people are coming in and we cannot turn the people away,” he said.

Aside from providing food to the poor, GCM has opened several homeless shelters, taking in a number of people who have been “evicted or have lost their homes to foreclosure.”

GCM’s annual Thanksgiving luncheon coincides with its anniversary. This year marks its 26th year of existence.