Feed the Needy serves up over 1,600 community Thanksgiving meals

HARRISON COUNTY, Miss - Familiar faces and tributes to past volunteers brought special meaning to the 35th annual Feed the Needy event.

On Thanksgiving Day, volunteers were up bright and early making sure more than 1,600 meals went out to locations all across Harrison County. The program has gone on for the past 35 years and delivered over 75,000 meals.

Law enforcement officials with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department joined trustees and community members at the Lyman Community Center to prepare meals and get ready to deliver them.

Among the volunteers was Jimmy Johnson, who has been a part of the program since the very beginning.

“We’re gonna serve 1,600 meals,” Johnson said.

There’s also the memory of Edward McKenna, also known as “Snoball.”

“They wanted to make sure that his memory is here and he’s still taking part in this event,” said Johnson.

“His crew kept his legacy alive by serving those in need,” said Jean Tucker.

McKenna’s picture was set up as a mini-memorial where his Snoball Crew worked the food line.

“For 17 years, he’s always been our guy, and for 17 more years, I hope he’ll be with us in spirit,” said Hubert Yarbrough.

Along with law enforcement officers, church groups and people from other walks of life gave up some time on Thanksgiving morning to give back to the community.

Police departments from Biloxi, D’Iberville, Gulfport, Long Beach and Pass Christian joined the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department to help with the event.

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