INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis ministry was spreading holiday cheer by ensuring hundreds of families won’t go hungry this holiday season.

Rev Richard Hunter Ministries brought hope and nourishment to Indianapolis families through its annual Christmas Help Drive-Thru at Martin University on Friday.

“The community has gotten together to help the community. In these boxes you see behind us is a weeks worth of groceries,” said the Rev. Richard Hunter told News 8.

This year, the ministries allowed volunteers to hand out 700 boxes of groceries and a turkey. It’s meant to make things easier on families. “This will supplement your food budget and, instead of spending that money on food, I’ve already done if for you. Take that money, turn your utilities on. Buy gifts for your kids. Do those kinds of things.”

Hunter says he hopes the boxes spread the message in the surrounding community that people are loved, especially during the holidays when mental health may not be the most positive. “We got teddy bears in there, gun locks because we want people to lock up their guns. I’m tired of turning on the news and seeing nothing but dead folks from being shot. Quit killing folks for whatever reason you may have.”

Hunter hopes that people pay it forward throughout the new year. “I’m trying to change the dynamics on how people think, and what they do. If you feel like you’re lonely or something like that and you receive this food, you know somebody loves you because look at all the people who are helping.”

For volunteer Jerome Debow Elder, who lives out of state, coming back to Indianapolis to help the community was something he was proud to do. “We want people to come together. We want a lot of other organizations to help out because we also help each other out. The times are not the same as it was four or five years ago, and people are more in need now. We want a lot of other organizations to help each other out.”

News 8’s Hernan Gutierrez first reported about Friday’s distribution on “Daybreak.”

Mental health resources

• Be Well Indiana
• Indiana Suicide Prevention
• Indiana Department of Child Services’ Children’s Mental Health Initiative
• National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 or 800-273-8255
• More resources