25th Annual Christmas Carol Sing to Help Community Cooperative Feed the Hungry

FORT MYERS, Fla. - Nov. 17, 2015 - PRLog -- Celebrate the holidays and help feed the hungry by singing at the 25th Annual Christmas Carol Sing sponsored by the Galloway Family of Dealerships.

         The Christmas Carol Sing will be Tuesday, Dec. 8, at First Presbyterian Church, 2438 Second Street in downtown Fort Myers (Fla.), between Lee Street and Royal Palm Avenue.  Admission is free, although organizers request voluntary donations of at least two cans of non-perishable food for The Soup Kitchen, operated by Community Cooperative, and a voluntary cash donation, if you can.

         Because of the overwhelming popularity of the event, three sing-alongs are planned at 1 p.m., 4 p.m. and 7 p.m.  The doors will open 30 minutes prior to show time.

         Community Cooperative provided food and other services to 10,250 people last year with the help of partner agencies, including the Harry Chapin Food Bank and United Way.

         Community Cooperative was started by First Presbyterian Church in 1984 to help alleviate hunger and suffering in Lee County.  The church has continued to support its ministry there by providing volunteers in The Soup Kitchen, Community Markets, and delivering hot meals to home-bound seniors.

         Hymn Sing organizer Sam Galloway, Jr., has made feeding the hungry part of his life’s work. “Our community has done so much to help our neighbors, but we need to do even more.  If we each just gave the equivalent of what we would spend on a meal – either at home or in a restaurant – those few dollars could feed a family of four for an entire week.” Galloway said.

         Galloway said cash donations are especially needed because Community Cooperative can buy five times as much food for the same amount of money that residents spend at local grocery stores.

         Residents who cannot attend any of the Christmas Carol Sing performances may donate canned goods at either the Galloway Ford dealership on Boy Scout Drive or the Coconut Point Ford dealership on U.S. 41 in Estero or mail donations to Community Cooperative, P. O. Box 2143, Fort Myers, FL  33902

         The Christmas Carol Sing is a festival of holiday music and family fun.  This year’s 90-minute performance will feature the First Presbyterian Church Choir, soloists and other special guests singing favorite holiday carols with audience sing-a-longs.

         There is a strong rumor that Santa Claus will be making a surprise visit for the “children in all of us.”

         The Christmas Carol Sing is the third of three hymn sings sponsored annually by the Galloway Family of Dealerships.  The other two are Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing in February and First Celebrates Freedom in July.  All three events benefit The Soup Kitchen of Community Cooperative.

         Last year, Community Cooperative received more than 3,000 pounds of canned goods and other non-perishable items from the Christmas Carol Sing.  The food was immediately distributed to those in need.

         For more information, call First Presbyterian Church at (239) 334-2261 or visit www.fpcfortmyers.org.

About Community Cooperative

Community Cooperative is an innovative nonprofit 501(c) (3) organization made up of social service entrepreneurs fighting to end homelessness and hunger in our community. The agency provides more than 14,000 meals each month through its Community Cafés, Community Marketplace, and Community & School Mobile Markets as well as Meals on Wheels programs and offers homeless and comprehensive case management services through its Social & Education Resource Centers.

A proud United Way partner, Community Cooperative serves the greater Fort Myers area with campuses in Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach and mobile services in Bonita Springs, Cape Coral, North Fort Myers, and Lehigh Acres. Community Cooperative works in close partnership with, The Harry Chapin Food Bank and The School District of Lee County as well as collaborating with fellow community and service groups, churches, businesses and community support organizations.

About First Presbyterian Church of Fort Myers

First Presbyterian Church of Fort Myers, located at 2438 Second St. in downtown Fort Myers, is a community of faith, celebrating a loving God.  First Presbyterian Church was founded in 1901 and continues to be an integral part of Lee County by presenting some of the area’s most well-attended events, such as Mrs. Edison’s Hymn Sing in February as part of the Edison Festival of Light, First Celebrates Freedom in July, and the Christmas Carol Sing in December.  All three events benefit The Soup Kitchen of Community Cooperative, which also was founded by First Presbyterian Church in 1984.  Services are offered Sundays at 11 a.m. with Sunday Adult Education from 9:45 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.  A nursery is available from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Hearing assistive equipment also is available.

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