IRONTON — There are people who are struggling from day to day to find where their next meal will come from.

Those are the people Jodie Hunt hopes to help on Thursday at Campbell Chapel Freewill Baptist Church’s first food giveaway.

Hunt, a member of the church and coordinator for its Backpack Buddies program, said there is no income requirement for the giveaway because there are many people who are not able to get government assistance but who still can’t afford basic necessities.

“We don’t want to turn anyone away who is really in need,” Hunt said.

Campbell Chapel was added to the growing list of food pantry sites in the county earlier this year. Last fall, the church also started Backback Buddies, a ministry to ensure school children in need have enough food to get them through the weekend.

When the program began, the church was helping about 40 to 50 children at Rock Hill Elementary school.

Since then, the program has expanded to the Dawson-Bryant and Ironton districts and Hunt said she hops to expand to Rock Hill Middle School with the new school year.

The ministry also served children in the Ironton Middle summer school program.

Through the school year, Hunt said the ministry reached about 106 children each week.

“The Lord has blessed us tremendously,” Hunt said, adding that the church was able to get a minivan, with the Backpack Buddies logo, to help deliver the meals.

Thursday will be the church’s first community food giveaway. Since becoming a food pantry site, Hunt said the food, purchased from the Huntington Area Food Bank, has helped those who have called for assistance, as well as the elderly.

Registration for the giveaway begins at 5:30 p.m. with food distribution at 6 p.m. Those wanting to take part should bring proof of Lawrence County residency and a photo I.D. Only one person per family can collect food.

Hunt said there will be a variety of food items, such as canned food, produce, bread and bakery items and frozen meat or poultry.

“I know the Lord will bless us and the food will go as far as we need it to,” Hunt said.

The church is located on 1709 Campbell Drive in Ironton.