By Thomas Sellers Jr.
Carolyn Jenkins took on the calling of feeding her hometown’s needs back in 2013.
Under the umbrella of SOULOUT Ministries, Jenkins took her non-profit ministry all over the city of Millington giving back and providing food for those in need beyond Thanksgiving.
The Thanksgiving dinner became her trademark until the global pandemic in 2020. Jenkins and her team modified the approach with Thanksgiving boxes full of days worth of food for families who applied.
On Nov. 17 at the Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church located at 8177 Quito Road, Jenkins and many special guests loaded up the boxes in time for the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday.
The SOULOUT Ministries 11th event gave back to Millington and the surrounding area.
“I would like to thank the Omega Psi Phi who has been with me since day one,” Jenkins said. “My Tabernacle Church family, Pastor Bryant Henderson, Navy Association and the Navy First Class Petty Officers. And all the people who donated to help make this event a success.”
Jenkins said her ministry has come a long way from the days of the annual Thanksgiving Feast on Thanksgiving Day that were held at the Baker Community Center located at 7942 Church Street, in Millington.
Along with the meal, Jenkins and her volunteers provided hygiene items for the homeless, seniors or any person in need.
Another part of the SOULOUT Ministry Program during that era was providing a nutritional meal every Thursday at the Baker Community Center for the homeless, seniors and all persons in need.
Then COVID-19 struck the world and Jenkins had to modify her ministry to keep the tradition of giving alive.
The 2020 Thanksgiving Meal went mobile, under the cloud of a global pandemic. Jenkins adjusted the event and narrowed down the target demographic.
“My focus this year was on the elderly and sick and shut in,” she said. “Many thanks to all who donated to this great cause. Thanks to the First Class Association for coming out to help prepare the baskets. Friends, family, Board members who always support SOULOUT. I could not have done it without everyone’s help.”
