The Women of Faith of Demopolis mostly center their outreach on senior citizens. They often visit and pray with them. In the past, Women of Faith have made baskets for them, and senior citizens were among the beneficiaries in their recent inaugural Holiday Brown Bag Program held on Dec. 14.

However, that’s not all they do for the community. Women of Faith help many others in need. The group performs skits for entertainment in order to raise funds for their outreach and host an annual Christmas Dinner.

In the past, they have collected donations to provide support to their own members who are in need of assistance. Since two members are also ministers, they host revivals, as well.

“That’s a really good feeling. When you can help do something that benefits someone in need, that’s a great feeling. Part of ministry is sharing the word of God,” said member Jackie Irvin.

Women of Faith meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month and enjoys devotion together. Occasionally, they’ll have a guest speaker. They also hold a Birthday Dinner every three months.

The organization, active since 2012, consists of 12 active members who all have the same focus, according to Irvin.

“We’re nobody trying to tell everybody about somebody named Jesus.”

Joining Women of Faith benefits the members as much as the community. Irvin said she receives “spiritual enrichment” through the organization.

“I needed to enhance my prayer time and devotion time,” Irvin said.

Recently, Women of Faith have undertaken a new project—the Holiday Brown Bag Program. Teaming up with the Friends of Theo Ratliff, Women of Faith raise funds and collect food items and use those donations to pack brown bags with food for those in need.

Holiday Brown Bag is a same-day distribution program that was first held on Dec. 14. At that time, Women of Faith had raised $1,000 resulting in approximately 125 brown bags being packed and delivered.

The goal is to hold the program around five times a year. Women of Faith aims to hold the next one in February and hopes to raise $6,000 by Feb. 3.

“We need more money to do more things,” Irvin said.

She said she has expressed interest in Women of Faith donating money to a prison ministry in Birmingham, as well as volunteering at a soup kitchen.

For more information or to join Women of Faith, contact Willie Dillard at wdillard10467@aol.com. Dues to join are $3 per month.

(This column originally appeared in the Wednesday, January 3 issue of the Demopolis Times.)