Amicable Congregational Church at 3736 Main Road in Tiverton is sponsoring a town wide food drive to support the East Bay Community Action Program and the Old Stone First Baptist Church food closet through Sunday, Feb. 5

Due to increased costs for food and fuel, there is an even greater demand on food pantries throughout the state this winter. Area residents may drop off non-perishable food items all week at Amicable Church, Bank Newport (Stone Bridge branch only), Gray's Ice Cream, St. Christopher's Church, St. Theresa’s Church, Tiverton Town Hall and the Tiverton public libraries.

In conjunction with the town wide food drive, Amicable will host a simulated soup kitchen as its monthly dinner and a homelessness awareness overnight on Saturday, Feb. 4, to help raise awareness of the plight of the homeless in our state and throughout the world. Beginning at 6 p.m., soup, salad, beverages and dessert will be served in Amicable’s dining room. The public is welcome to attend. Donations will be accepted at the door. Proceeds from this dinner will benefit Amicable’s operating budget. 

Amicable and Holy Trinity Youth Group and their chaperones will be served dinner before spending the night out of doors. Amicable’s front lawn becomes “box city” with the youth setting up refrigerator boxes as temporary shelter. The church has asked the youth to find sponsors for their overnight, with the funds raised going to Crossroads Rhode Island, the only 24-hour, seven-day-a-week drop in shelter for Rhode Island’s homeless.

All are welcome to attend the “soup kitchen” dinner and visit on this night. Please contact the church office at 624-4611 for more information on the food drive, soup kitchen, or to sponsor a youth for the sleepover. Donations may also be sent directly to Crossroads Rhode Island. This is a chance for the greater Tiverton community to come together and offer support and hope to those in the area who are in need.