Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

As the temperature drops with the changing season, Heritage Baptist Church is preparing for another clothing giveaway to provide warm clothes for this winter.

The giveaway will take place from 5 to 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 13, and then again from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 14, at the church, located at 700 Milnwood Road in Farmville. Each year, the church holds two giveaways. One takes place in the spring to give out summer clothes and then one takes place in fall to provide winter clothes. 

According to organizer Ann Simpson, this giveaway is expected to be the largest the church has held. This year the church has received a 40% increase in donations which Simpson calls “a true blessing.”

“We would like to express our thanks to those who donated items for making this outreach possible,” she said. “This is making a great impact on families in not only the Farmville area but throughout our neighboring counties.”

The clothes donated include brand-name items for children, men and women. Church and community members from the surrounding areas have brought in bags and boxes of clothes and shoes to help this giveaway be the success Simpson and the other volunteers expect it to be. 

Heritage Baptist blessed by community 

Donating the items isn’t where the community involvement stopped. On Wednesday, Oct. 11, 35 local college students came to help sort the donations and set up for the giveaway. Joining them were church members and others from the community who wanted to help out. 

Each year the giveaway sees a large crowd as it is extended not only to Farmville and Prince Edward County residents but residents in surrounding counties. The first night the giveaway can easily see 350 to 400 people as the line can start up around three hours before the doors open. This year already has two trailers and three rooms in the church filled with items to give away. 

“Last spring we had a few that are homeless come and were able to get what they needed,” said Simpson. “We don’t know people’s situation, so this is a good ministry to be able to reach those individuals.”