INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – An Indianapolis organization helped out hundreds of families with an annual food drive on Friday.

Reverand Richard Hunter Ministries held it’s 29th Christmas Help Program at Martin University.

Volunteers packed hundreds of boxes with groceries for about a week, along with some other things like a gun lock, COVID-19 tests and some informational flyers from AES Indiana and Citizens Energy Group

Over the last few weeks or so families called in with details about what they needed and how many people they have in their family.

Rev. Hunter says it’s great to see the community help each other out.

“Let it help you,” Hunter said. “Take the money that you would have spent on groceries and buy something with it at Christmas.”

They teamed up with the Indiana Black Expo and a few other organizations in the community.

John Girton, the university’s chief of staff says it fits into the school’s mission.

“Drives like this let the community know that we care about more than just education,” Girton said. “We also care about the other wrap-around services that a community might need.”

Organizers say they start preparing for the program starting in January. They take donations for the program all year round.

Over 700 families received a box this year.