Johnny Ray's Sultry Soul Food Restaurant to serve Christmas dinner to needy families

Sunday December 21st, 2:30 – 5:00 PM, Sultry Soul Food restaurant located at 1141 Elder Street, Herndon.

LifeJacket, a recent 501 (c) (3) organization is committed to meeting the needs of the community with a vision to equip underprivileged citizens and youth with tools necessary to lead productive lives. They would like to extend an invitation to everyone to join them on Sunday, December 21, 2014 for their first Red Sunday. Red Sunday is a day of giving back to our community, especially to those who are struggling during the Holiday Season.

If you are interested in attending this event, you are welcome to join LifeJacket and assist the organization to demonstrate the true meaning of Christmas and community outreach.

The goal this year is to feed more than 400 people, with each family leaving with a gift card. LifeJacket is asking for businesses and civic groups to partner with them by giving individual gift card donations in increments of $10.00 or cash donations of your choice. The RED SUNDAY food distribution location will be at Johnny Ray’s Sultry Soul Food Restaurant located at 1141 Elder Street, Herndon. VA 20170 from 2:30-5:00 PM.

For the Red Sunday event, The Temple of Healing Waters and congregation are partnering with LifeJacket. Johnny Ray’s Sultry Food Restaurant is providing his business as a distribution center for the meals. The owner Johnny Ray featured in Northern Virginia Magazine, is also personally cooking the food and donating some of the food items. Local businesses such as Walmart, Wegman’s, Giant Foods, Safeway, Costco, Sam’s Club, Guapo’s and Joe’s Cafe are also partnering by giving gift cards or various other donations to make this community event a success. The INOVA Mobile Hope Bus is also collaborating to provide a variety of services that they offer to the community free of charge.

There is still time for others to be a part of this event as well as making donations to LifeJacket Initiatives. We are still in need of gift cards! For additional information, please call 703-953-2817 or Gloria Yates, Advisory Board Chair at 703-625-0094.

Red Sunday is only one of the many initiatives of LifeJacket. Everyone is invited to partner with Lifejacket in any of their initiatives. For additional information on LifeJacket, call 703-953-2817. Feel free to like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Lifejacket to learn more about other outreach events.

VISION:

LifeJacket’s vision is to equip underprivileged citizens and youth with the tools to lead productive lives. With an emphasis on job training, counseling, mentorship, and outreach, Life Jacket seeks to provide the community with service and programs that encourages, inspires, and empowers.

TRAINING INITIATIVES:

• Men’s shelter and job training- Assist men with shelter, food, and connect them to job and vocational training.
• Rehabilitation program for Women of Domestic violence- Emotional and psychological support, transitional housing for formally incarcerated women, and job training.
• English as a Second Language training- Partner with organizations that provide tutoring and education to individuals desiring to learn English.
• Mentoring program for teenagers- Mentor underprivileged youth through interactive one-on-one and group sessions with successful men and women.

OUTREACH INITIATIVES:

• Alcohol and substance abuse prevention outreach- Through outreach and community service; provide counseling to assist those struggling with substance abuse.
• Emotional and psychological outreach- Provide emotional and psychological education to individuals who have been physically and sexually abused.
• Entrepreneurial skills for youth 13-18 years- Foster a generation of self-thinkers and business owners. Teach youth how to thwart the incidences of bullying and deflect stimuli systemic to suicide and other destructive behavior.
• Homelessness outreach and assistance- Identify residents in targeted areas of Loudoun County that need assistance for food and shelter.

All participants will have access to job training, mentoring, and substance abuse programs offered through the initiative.