Searcy, Ar. (LP)– Any time is a giving time. Many people spend there own hard earned money to feed other people instead of themselves. Even take out the time to cook, buy clothes, and many more things for the homeless. Mrs. Cooperwood, Rev. Linda Branch, Reverend Johnson, and a few other people come out and feed the homeless and those in need. They give the homeless some canned foods, give them warm food to eat at the place the event is held, and even buy them clothes so they wont be as cold and have some new clothes to wear. The Jesus Cares Outreach Ministry is a program that has gone on a few years now and is slowly expanding. Anyone can put forth the time and just give spare change that they have, or just sit and talk to someone.

Rev. Linda Branch is one of the many people who helps put clothes on the back of some of the people in need. “I enjoy feeding the homeless and those in need, I just like that I am helping other people out besides myself.” rev. Linda Branch participates in this event called, Jesus Cares Outreach Ministry. A program where, the head director and/or Head Leader, Nita Cooperwood, gets together a few doctors, pastors, etc. and feed the people in need.“This program I would say is a very wonderful program to feed the hungry and those that are in need. It helps bring love and even peace into the community. In this program we care about your needs and we are always prepared and ready to help you or anybody else in need.” Reverend Linda Branch  is a pastor and into the ministry industry herself. Although she doesn’t have time to speak to each one of the people in need personally, she ministry and preach to them as a whole, “I didn’t speak to them personally but I spoke to them in general and preached to them. I ministered to the whole group twice since I have started this program.”

The head of the Jesus Cares Outreach Ministry is Mrs. Nita Cooperwood. Mrs. Nita Cooperwood has always been one to hand out a helping hand, she is a kind, loving, and very happy person. Mrs. Nita Cooperwood enjoys helping out the homeless, she put forth a lot of time and effort to keep this program together. Mrs. Cooperwood buys clothes, canned food and even makes the homeless a warm plate to eat. She gathers some doctors to check blood pressure and make sure the homeless or people in need are in good shape. She treats people whom she does not know, as if they are her own children, family, or even brothers and sisters. “I started this program a few years ago, and once I started it’s hard to stop. I try my hardest to get this event together at least once a month.” The Jesus Cares Outreach Ministry is usually held at the Carmichael Center located in Searcy, Arkansas. The latest event this Ministry has done is to give warm turkey, macaroni and cheese, candy yams, greens, and a variety of different things.

Mrs. Cooperwood, Reverend Linda Branch, and a few more people who help participate in the Jesus Cares Outreach Ministry plans on feeding the homeless this Christmas and giving them more clothes that they need, ministering more to the people and spreading the love for Jesus, and giving the people in need more warm food. Mrs. Cooperwood wants to make sure the people in need and the homeless does not go to sleep hungry that night. “I started the Jesus Outreach Ministry about three or four years ago, I wanted to start giving back to people.” Taking time out of your day can be very hard, but to Mrs. Cooperwood, nothing stands in her way. “It does take quite a bit of time out of my day, but I enjoy doing it. I could do this all day if I could.” Mrs. Nita Cooperwood also takes time out of her day to try and get a few doctors at the Carmichael Center, or wherever the event may be held and get the homeless, or those in need checked out. At the Jesus Cares Outreach Ministry they check blood pressure, blood sugar, and other things in general to make sure they are at least in good health.

Doctors can be very underrated sometimes, but ones that take time on their day off to check on people is really bitter sweet. Doctor Johnson stated, “I enjoy coming up here and checking on patients or those in need because you never know what tomorrow could hold. You could be the one in need and have nobody their to help you all because you chose not to just help someone out the day before.”

Homeless people have spiked up 34% since October of 2011. Homelessness has increased greatly over the years. Our own veterans have become homeless, it is sad to see what they go through on a daily basis.

Chamelia Mitchell runs into a variety of different homeless people at her job. She does what she can to help out the homeless. “When I have a little bit of extra cash, I go buy food and give it to the homeless.” Mrs. Chamelia Mitchell works at Liberty Tax Service and says she has experienced many different occasions when she had extra money and ran into a homeless person. It’s not hard to give what you can and when you can. Even if it is just twenty-five cents, anything is literally better than nothing.

Although, the Jesus Cares Outreach Ministry is only a few of the many programs that help the homeless, they are one that not only gives out clothing, food and a good hearing, they also give out love. You never know what someone is going through, just being kind from the bottom of your heart can make a big impact on someones life. Prayer can go a long way for people who feel like there is nothing left in this world for them. People who make time out of there own day to make sure people are fed, make sure people have clothes on there back and make sure they are warmer when they first walked into the Carmichael doors, or wherever the event may be held, are the people who will make Searcy greater little by little.