2026 Thanksgiving

Adopt-a-Box Ministry

Our new leaders this year…

Lisa Gage and Meagan Cartwright!

How might you help bless another family this Thanksgiving?

Ways to Help

Committed Adopt-A-Box Donations

ADOPT-A-BOX

This is when an entire box is filled with ALL the needed food items for an identified family. It is the goal to reach 250 “Adopt-a-Box” donations.

Adopt-a-Box donations will be accepted…
Sun, November 1 – Wed, November 18.

They can be dropped off at Pearce Church (use door #1 or #7), and placed on the cart in the main lobby across from the gym. Great times to drop off are before or after any weekend worship service and weekdays from 6:30am-6pm.

Adopt-a-Box Shopping List

Funds needed for Frozen Whole Chickens

*We are grateful that this year’s frozen chickens are already fully funded by a generous anonymous donation!

Why chickens this year and not turkey?   As with all rising costs of food, so too has the cost of turkey per pound increased.   Due to the significant increase, leadership decided to go with the next best thing…chicken!

Donate Online

DONATE  $ TO HAVE OTHERS SHOP – NEW THIS YEAR

Physical limitations or time may hinder your ability to shop yourself, so this year we offer the option for a shopping team to help out. Consider a donation to cover the cost of an Adopt-a-box (approximately $40).

Ways to Donate:
  • Online   (select “Thanksgiving Adopt-a-Box” from the drop down)
  • Place a check/cash in the offering plate
  • Mail in a check
  • Drop off a check in our outdoor drop-box (just outside the café entrance #7).

* Make checks out to Pearce Church with “Thanksgiving Adopt-a-Box” on the memo line.  Cash donations should be placed in a sealed envelope, with name and address and designated similarly.

PRAY

We appreciate your prayers! Pray for food donations to meet or exceed our goal of 250 adopt-a-boxes. Pray for those who are giving of their time and resources, being the salt and light as Jesus calls us, making this ministry happen. Pray for those who will receive the food boxes, that through this simple act of kindness, they would know how much God loves them and cares for them.

Some pointers when getting an adopt-a-box ready:
  • It is best to use a copy paper box or a similar size. Empty boxes will be available.
  • If using shopping bags, it often takes two to contain all the items. please label or connect the bags so we know it completed one Adopt-a-box.
  • Consider regular sized food items.  While we love the generosity, there is no way to distribute boxes according to the family size.   All food items need to fit in a closed box.
  • It is really important that we receive all Adopt-a-Boxes by November 18. Please plan accordingly.
Want to learn more on how you can help serve this ministry? Click the button and send us an email. We’ll get back to you soon.  Please note: at this point, recipients of Thanksgiving boxes have been pre-selected and we are unable to fulfill any further requests.
Email Pearce
Special thanks to the network of food donations and volunteers from the following organizations:
Pearce Church
Foodlink
Food Towne of North Chili
Churchville-Chili schools
Heart & Soul Community Church
Palmer Foods
Roberts Wesleyan University
“

A single mom of two had recently moved to the Rochester area. She was expecting a check in the mail to get them through their first month here. As time went by, their food ran out and the check still hadn't come. She prayed to God for help. She didn't know it, but someone had put her name on our list to receive a Thanksgiving box. When that box was delivered, she began sobbing and praising God for answering her prayers. She now had enough food to feed her family for at least one week!

“

A disabled man was sitting in a chair in his apartment. Aside from his chair and a mattress on the floor, the apartment was empty. When the box of food was delivered, he was very appreciative. He knew that his wife would be grateful, too, but she was out working at the time. Her job was to collect cans every day and turn them into the store. That simple box of food met a real need.

“

One woman received a box because someone had submitted her name. When the box was delivered, she began crying. She actually had food, but her husband had passed away the month before and this was such a beautiful act of kindness. She knew others cared about her, and she would not forget that.

history of this ministry

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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Our Pearce Thanksgiving Food Ministry has had a long history in the Rochester area, serving the community for over 20 years.  Beginning under the leadership of Terry & Sherri Taber, it grew from a modest 25 boxes to blessing over 1150 families in 2024 with a food box, produce box and a turkey. In 2025, and after much prayer, Pearce leaders met with Rochester Family Mission (RFM) leaders Dr. Barbara Thomas and Warren Meeks Jr., partners for over the length of the ministry, to discuss possibilities in serving the many families in a better and easier way. ONLY GOD!!! What seemed like an impossible task became possible through His mighty hand. Little did leaders know hearts were headed in the same direction. God is so good! The new plan that developed was that approximately 700 of the supplied boxes to families would be packed and distributed from a city location. Partnering area churches helped supply various items for the boxes and allowed for each in providing for the people who need help in their own churches. Pearce and RFM continue to work together.

With the ever-present changes in our community and food prices, so too must our ministry adapt. In 2026, Pearce will continue the 200 Adopt-A-Box collection for Heart and Soul Community Church, with their own congregation planning to help support school #8, and supply the remaining 50 boxes for at total of 250. Pearce also maintains a list of those in our community who could benefit from a box as well.  We have churches, agencies,  local  retailers, sports groups, and schools that help us with the Adopt-A-Box needs along with food collected for the 250 boxes. This year a box of produce and a frozen chicken will be given to each family. We anticipate the food families are given will benefit them beyond Thanksgiving.

Thank you for your continued help and prayers through the years and beyond!