INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — This weekend, people in Indianapolis can get a $50 gift card to Indy Fresh Market and food for Thanksgiving, thanks to New Direction Church.

On Saturday, the east side church is giving away gift cards and bundles of food at the Mega Thanksgiving Day Pantry event. Organizers say everyone will get a turkey and fixings; however, the first 100 cars in line will also get a $50 gift card to the new Indy Fresh Market.

New Direction Church is located at 5330 E. 38th Street. and Saturday’s Mega Thanksgiving Day Pantry Event runs from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. The church and Indy Fresh Market are in the same neighborhood.

Rev. Dr. Kenneth Sullivan Jr. has been pastor of New Direction for 17 years. He joined News 8’s Daybreak on Friday to talk about the event.

“For the past 10 years, our food pantry has been feeding families and providing them with groceries and all the necessities for Thanksgiving. And so this year, we want to up the ante and support with Indy Fresh Market’s brand new opening. This initiative is to give the first 100 cars that drive through our pantry $50 gift cards in addition to the Thanksgiving basket they’ll receive,” Sullivan said.

The neighborhood around 38th Street and Sheridan Avenue expects to see a multimillion-dollar economic boost thanks to the newly opened grocery store, which is located in what was a food desert.

The IU Public Policy Institute estimates the Indy Fresh Market will bring in at least $4.6 million annually through wages, benefits, and neighborhood spending.

Sullivan emphasized that it is important for people to support the local business.

“It’s important for us because number one, the price of food and cost of living has really gone up due to inflation. But it’s also important for us to support our first very own African American-owned grocery store in our community. It has been a food desert for quite some time,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan added, “We want our parishioners to support Indy Fresh Market, but we also want the community to really support them around the holidays. We know Thanksgiving is next week, but then there’s Christmas and then there’s New Year’s. So we want to encourage our new grocery store with seeing the support from their community.”

According to the church’s website, “The role of the Pantry Ministry is to show love of Christ by distributing food, clothing, and household products to those in need.”