On Wednesday, members of Momma’s Hope, a local community organization, prepared and delivered almost 300 Thanksgiving meals to elderly and needy families.

Momma’s Hope is led by Martha Thomas, who said her mother used to tell her, “Help others and pray every day,” or HOPE.

The atmosphere in Thomas’s small home was both tired and jubilant as Thomas estimated they had cooked, packaged and delivered more than 250 meals by noon. She pointed to a stack of Styrofoam containers and said she planned to also fill them with food and deliver them.

Carolyn Mack, who was helping with the delivery of meals, estimated she’s been a volunteer at Momma’s Hope for about four years.

Mack’s SUV was filled to capacity with boxes of neatly packaged containers loaded with baked chicken, dressing and gravy, macaroni and cheese, potato salad, green beans and pie.

“These are going to Magnolia Manor,” she said.

Thomas said they were delivering 25 meals to Magnolia Manor Wednesday, in addition to other apartments and homes.

“I enjoy helping (Thomas), and she’s so into this community overall,” volunteer Henrietta Spates said. “Not just Momma’s Hope, but she’s also got ‘Stop the Violence.’ Any way she can make a difference in this community, she’s always done it. And done it with a smile.”

Hazel Robinson, who is Thomas’s sister, and Geraldine Bell assisted Spates and Thomas in the kitchen.

Thomas estimated she began preparing on Saturday, four days earlier. Two large pans of dressing were still cooking in the oven Wednesday at noon and pots, pans and empty aluminum containers crowded the counters, evidence of the many meals that had been packaged earlier that morning.

Thomas said she got her recipes from her mother, her aunt and made a few up along the way.

Any food not given away on Wednesday was served to the community on Thursday at a property across the street from Thomas’s house.

“We don’t want anybody in our area to be hungry. We want to make sure that everybody who is in need of a hot meal is provided one. We’re going to do it one meal at a time,” she said.