The Rev. Wilfred Johnson, left, of the Little Zorah Baptist Church, discusses future plans for the interdenominational P.U.S.H Coalition with Pastor Donald Wright Jr. of the Star Pilgrim Baptist Church and the Pastor James Broussard of the Philadelphia Life Center, outside Star Pilgrim's weekly meal program. Wright Jr said a goal among faith leaders now is to "break down those walls of denominationalism" that prevent collaboration.

The Star Pilgrim Baptist Church’s meal program was joined by several new partners Wednesday morning and afternoon.

The decades-old, volunteer-run feeding program held it’s Thanksgiving on Wednesday. They will be closed next week, program coordinator Jennie Bashay said, so that the volunteers can be with their families.

On Wednesday, pastors and preachers from across the area were working collaboratively to build the program.  

“One of the aspects we’re all trying to accomplish is to break down those walls of denominationalism, where pastors and ministers can come together all across this community for one common goal,” said Pastor Donald Wright Jr. of the Star Pilgrim Baptist Church. “That goal is to help build up this community and to uplift it. So this is an awesome opportunity for us to come together. We’re all here giving a helping hand,” he said.

Also in attendance was Pastor James Broussard, who is the president of a local initiative called P.U.S.H. Broussard spoke about the group’s latest project, A New Chapter, which is helping the recently incarcerated acclimate to life outside of prison. He spoke about one man who was receiving medication in prison for bipolar disorder but was released without any medication or mental health services.

“We had to get him to Comprehensive (Community Health Center). New Chapter and P.U.S.H. have 12 beds at the men’s shelter, and we’ve got him a bed there. He hasn’t got any family that can help.”

“Thanks god for this and thank god for this man right here,” said Louis Darby, there grabbing a plate of food with his girlfriend Charlette Bernard. “He’s saving lives.”

The Rev. Wilfred Johnson, of Little Zorah Baptist Church and a partner of Broussard’s in P.U.S.H., said the man got in contact with them through a collaboration P.U.S.H. has with the parole program.

“They sent him home with nothing,” Johnson said. “He’s been anxious, he’s been frustrated, but we’re working with him. We’re trying to get him back into the system. He’s seeing a doctor as we speak, and he’ll have extended treatment through A-Plus Community Services.”

Bashay, a retired nurse who began volunteering at Star Pilgrim as soon as she finished working, said the feeding program has been going on since the 1970s. Wright Jr. said they deliver to homes as well.