While most area citizens will be spending Christmas with their families and friends to enjoy hot meals and gifts, a small number will look to the needs of others to make sure they have something special on the holiday.

Making sure no one goes hungry at Christmas has become a tradition at Glad Tidings Church of God in Christ, 703 South Broad St.

The church will once again be providing carryout meals on Saturday, Christmas Eve from 12 to 2 p.m., according to

Sarah McCombs, spokesperson for the church.

This year’s meal will include turkey and dressing with gravy, ham, greens, yams, roll and a dessert.

McCombs said the dinners are for anyone who needs a meal at Christmas. While anyone is welcome, the program is geared to those who might be less fortunate during the Christmas season.

The church, she said, provides the meals out of its own funds, but sometimes gets donations of food or money to help with the effort.

“We don’t get many donations but sometimes a few will help us and we do appreciate that,” she said.

The church has been providing the meals for about 10 years and this past Thanksgiving served 130 dinners for people who came by the church to pick them up.

She said the church members provide the work to cook the meals and serve them in the carryout plates. Most of the food is cooked at the church, but some is prepared and brought to the building by the members, she noted.

The church is willing to take volunteers to help with the preparation of the food, she said.

The church serves the meals at Thanksgiving and at Christmas. Glad Tidings is the only church in Cedartown that provides meals to non-members during the holidays on a yearly basis.

Anyone needing to contact the church may call 770-748-5112.

The Rev. Dr. Henderson Spivey is pastor of Glad Tidings Church.