WINONA LAKE — Grace College and Mission Point Community Church invite all community members to participate in the 14th annual Supermarket Sweep on Wednesday, Feb. 5 at Kroger, 2211 E. Center St., Warsaw.
Between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m., Mission Point volunteers will provide grocery lists of nonperishable food items and baby products to Kroger shoppers. Once purchased, these items will be donated to the Salvation Army, Combined Community Services, Warsaw Community Schools and Heartline Pregnancy Center, according to a news release from Grace College.
"The vast majority of Heartline clients are low income, so they rely on our BABE Store for baby essentials like diapers, wipes and formula,” said Brenda Whitehead, executive director of Heartline Pregnancy Center. “The baby items donated through Supermarket Sweep are a huge blessing and help keep us stocked year-round to meet client needs. We are so grateful for this event.”
Tiffani McClanahan, director of emergency assistance at Combined Community Services, said, “The food pantry is busier than ever, and Supermarket Sweep will be a fantastic support as we work to provide families with food through the chilly months ahead."
Last year, Supermarket Sweep had a record-breaking fundraising year: $38,000 worth of nonperishable items were given to local food pantries, and event organizers say they hope to break the record again this year.
The day of shopping culminates with a game-show-inspired competition among teams of Grace College students, faculty and staff. Beginning at 9:30 p.m., groups “sweep” the store, shopping for items on their list and competing to earn additional gift cards to spend. At the end of the night, teams are awarded prizes for winning the most money spent altogether and the most money spent per shopper.
After the items are purchased, volunteers from Grace College will sort and pack the donations for the local food banks to pick up.
Leading up to the event, Grace College will provide weekly educational materials for students during growth groups to explore the depth and breadth of food insecurity in the local community.
"Through events and volunteer opportunities such as this one, it is a prayer and goal that each of the students can find a way to exercise the love of Jesus to the Warsaw community around us,” said Samantha Fudge, coordinator of the Grace College & Action team. “Christ called us to be His hands and feet in the way that we care and uplift the people in our community as defined in Matthew 25."
To give to Supermarket Sweep online, visit missionpoint.churchcenter.com/giving/to/supermarket-sweep.
To get more information about Mission Point Community Church, go to missionpoint.net/, and to learn more about Grace College, visit www.grace.edu.