MACON, Ga. — Sometimes people, for various reasons, just don't want to go to a warming center or a shelter.
Friday morning, the Macon Rescue Mission went out to them.
Three trucks carried hope to homeless folks in Macon.
First stop, Daybreak Resource Center.
"Just trying to figure out where to put these boxes to donate. How you doing? Merry Christmas," a volunteer said while holding big boxes.
The Macon Rescue Mission brought those greetings along with warm food.
"Daybreak wasn't supposed to be open and I didn't know what we were going to do for lunch, and I said, 'Rescue Mission, bring me lunch,'" Sister Theresa Sullivan said.
They did much better than that.
In sub-freezing temperatures, the Macon Rescue Mission handed out warmth in the form of coats, hats, hygiene kits, and socks.
"If you need coats, come on down -- we got new coats for you guys," a volunteer said while directing traffic.
Karen Kinsler also helped hand out supplies.
"Some of them have coats, but we're making sure they have two or three plus a blanket to go against this cold. It's really cold," she said as she shivered.
Kinsler helped to get this outpouring of love together.
Many of the clothes came in from donations.
The food, well, they started cooking that earlier this week.
The folks at the Mission knew this year-- in this weather -- this tradition could save lives.
"But there are just so many more people in need this year with the economy and coming off COVID and coming into a tough economy, there are a lot more people on the street this year a lot of families that weren't there before that didn't expect to be," Kinsler said.
The volunteers fanned out through the city, bringing an early Christmas to folks where they are, an act of kindness with lasting effects.
All in all, the rescue mission handed out over 1,500 meals.
A lot of them went to people living in their homes but are battling food insecurity, which means they don't know where their next meal is coming from.