Jordan-Matthews’ football team handed out free Thanksgiving meals to local families in need Saturday.
Head coach Ryan Johnson, joined by his son Jayden and players Urijah McSwain and Aaron Seitz, volunteered in Mountaire Farms’ annual Thanksgiving for Thousands event. In front of Jordan-Matthews’ cafeteria, the Jets gave out 75 boxes packed with a roaster chicken, two cans of corn and green beans each, a can of yams, cranberry sauce and brownie mix.
“It feels good to give back,” Johnson said. “When people are in need and you’re able to help out some in this world with so much hate and bad stuff going on, just showing some love to the community makes you feel good.”
This is the third year Jordan-Matthews’ football program and Mountaire Farms have partnered for this event. Mountaire Farms, a poultry processing company with a plant in Siler City, has done Thanksgiving for Thousands with area churches, food banks and other non-profits for over 25 years.
The Jets have also participated in Mountaire’s Christmas for Thousands and Easter for Thousands in the past.
Families pulled their cars in front of the school cafeteria while Johnson and his player volunteers packed their vehicles with as many boxes as needed.
“We’re more than just football,” Seitz said. “We love our community.”
Lynda Ladd, grandmother of former Jordan-Matthews baseball player and 2017 Colorado Rockies draft pick Casey Golden, came by the school for a meal and said she prays God blesses each box and each volunteer giving them out.
“I just think its very nice that Mountaire gives these boxes out, and the people that give them out are blessed,” Ladd said. “There’s so many people that don’t have the money nowadays to buy extra things, especially if they have children.”
Johnson hopes that by volunteering and helping out the community, his players understand their impact goes beyond what they do on the field.
“One of the visions that we had when we first got here was to build better young men,” Johnson said. “And it’s a cycle. What my coaches did for me, I’m doing it for them. When they get older, they do it for their sons or players — just breeding that positivity back to the community.”