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File photo <\/p>\n
Bishop Darrell Cummings, pastor at Bethlehem Apostolic Temple, shares a smile alongside volunteers and community members who helped brighten the spring holiday Saturday morning at the annual Easter Food Basket Giveaway at the North Wheeling Community Dream Center.<\/p>\n
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WHEELING \u2013 The annual Easter distribution of food at Bethlehem Apostolic Church in North Wheeling has found a new sponsor.<\/p>\n
The Health Plan announced it will sponsor the event, set to take place beginning at 11 a.m. Saturday at the North Wheeling Community Dream Center.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the church is hosting a \u201cStuff the Bus\u201d event from 4-6 p.m. Thursday at the Riesbeck\u2019s in Elm Grove to prepare for the food distribution. Volunteers will be on site to accept food donations and cash contributions for the Easter giveaway<\/p>\n
Jeff Knight, president and CEO of The Health Plan, explained the health insurance provider stepped up after learning that Bishop Darrell Cummings and his ministry lost their primary sponsor for the food distribution and was in need of financial help.<\/p>\n
\u201cBishop Cummings and Bethlehem Apostolic Temple have served struggling families across the Ohio Valley for more than three decades, providing food, clothing, and hope to thousands each year. It\u2019s time for the Ohio Valley to help Bishop Cummings and his team in the same way they have helped so many others,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cTheir decades of selfless service deserve our support. We\u2019re proud to partner with them and the Dream Center to keep this vital Easter tradition alive.\u201d <\/p>\n
Cummings explained he was approached by Knight after someone at The Health Plan saw a story in the Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register noting the church was without a sponsor for the Easter food distribution. The person suggested the health care provider offer their assistance.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have been told they (employees at The Health Plan) are working on it, and we are hopeful,\u201d Cummings said Wednesday. \u201cWe believe what they say.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis will be a great help. With the loss of our main sponsor, we have been using credit cards and our retirement to fund the food distribution.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sponsors providing money permit the church to \u201cpay for things right away,\u201d Cummings continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow we can buy more food, clothes and supplies,\u201d he said. \u201cThis is a miracle for Easter for us. We are grateful to God and The Health Plan for helping out. I don\u2019t know if this is a one-time deal or if we have a future. But we\u2019re greatly appreciative. They didn\u2019t have to do it. They\u2019ve become an angel to us.\u201d<\/p>\n
The church\u2019s food distribution events typically cost between $10,000 and $12,000, he reported.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat they are doing will help us a great deal, but it doesn\u2019t cover everything,\u201d Cummings said. \u201cThank God for all the others who donate. But it covers a major part, for that we are very grateful, grateful, grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cummings added the church was also grateful to its past sponsor, Main Street Bank. The bank stepped away from the sponsorship after a change in ownership during the past year.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are extremely grateful for what they did for us for close to a decade,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The church still needs volunteers to help out on Saturday, and donations are still very appreciated, according to Cummings.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe haven\u2019t reached our goal yet, but with this announcement we are a lot closer and we believe we are going to make it,\u201d Cummings said. \u201cMy heart is very, very happy that they reached out to us. Many people care in the Ohio Valley, and that\u2019s what makes the community great.\u201d<\/p>\n
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