TOPS hoping to make holidays bright for needy children, elderly
Photo


Jay Hare / jhare@dothaneagle.com

Jacob Williams and Anna Reynolds talk after Williams receives some food at Mama Tina’s House on Tuesday night. T.O.P.S. which sponsors the orginization will be sponsoring a variety of Christmas drives for local residents, including a drive to collect toys for the children of incarcerated parnts.



Jim Cook


Published: December 2, 2008

The Ordinary People Society is gearing up for Christmas, sponsoring programs to help needy children and the elderly during the holiday season.

TOPS is putting up an angel tree with the names of children of incarcerated or deceased parents and those whose families are in dire financial situations. The organization is also making up food baskets for the elderly.

Tina Glasgow, head of Mama Tina’s Mission House, said hard times have put an increased burden on charitable organizations this year.

“Yes, we fed more people in the past months than before and find more people in need of clothes (and) hygiene than ever before, and the homeless population has grown,” Glasgow said in an e-mail interview. “We strive to serve to deter the need to steal or engage in harm to another individual to survive.”

Local residents who wish to donate to TOPS’ Christmas programs can do so by bringing food or gifts to Mama Tina’s Mission House at 605 North Alice St. The organization is also looking for volunteers to help feed the needy and sort donations during the Christmas season and throughout the year.

TOPS recently participated with Love In Action ministries during the Thanksgiving holiday to deliver more than 350 meals to needy residents and to serve more than 200 meals at the mission house, Glasgow said.

TOPS got its start in 2001 in the parking lot of Wiregrass Commons Mall. The Rev. Kenneth Glasgow handed out Dante’s Pizza leftovers from the back of his mother’s car at closing time while doing outreach. Today, TOPS and Glasgow are involved in a number of activities including holding Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, providing food, clothing and shelter to the homeless and other activities.

Glasgow has become a nationally-known advocate for the poor and disadvantaged, and helped lead a controversial effort during the 2008 election season to restore voting rights to convicted felons serving time in Alabama’s prisons.

She is putting up an angel tree with the names of children of incarcerated or deceased parents and those whose families are in dire financial situations. The organization is also making up food baskets for the elderly.
Tina Glasgow, head of Mama Tina’s Mission House, said hard times have put an increased burden on charitable organizations this year.

“Yes, we fed more people in the past months than before and find more people in need of clothes (and) hygiene than ever before, and the homeless population has grown,” Glasgow said in an e-mail interview. “We strive to serve to deter the need to steal or engage in harm to another individual to survive.”

Local residents who wish to donate to TOPS’ Christmas programs can do so by bringing food or gifts to Mama Tina’s Mission House at 605 North Alice St. The organization is also looking for volunteers to help feed the needy and sort donations during the Christmas season and throughout the year.

TOPS recently participated with Love In Action ministries during the Thanksgiving holiday to deliver more than 350 meals to needy residents and to serve more than 200 meals at the mission house, Glasgow said.

TOPS got its start in 2001 in the parking lot of Wiregrass Commons Mall. The Rev. Kenneth Glasgow handed out Dante’s Pizza leftovers from the back of his mother’s car at closing time while doing outreach. Today, TOPS and Glasgow are involved in a number of activities including holding Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings, providing food, clothing and shelter to the homeless and other activities.

Glasgow has become a nationally-known advocate for the poor and disadvantaged, and helped lead a controversial effort during the 2008 election season to restore voting rights to convicted felons serving time in Alabama’s prisons.