BLOUNT COUNTY, Ala. (WIAT) — Park Avenue Baptist Church members gathered Thursday evening to prepare pans of food for the family of the 15-year-old student who was struck and killed by a car.

“We enjoy cooking. We enjoy sharing it,” said Ruby Weaver, a member of Park Avenue Baptist Church. “What we do best sometimes is reaching out in need.”

Weaver said when she heard that a student died while waiting for the school bus earlier that morning, she instantly wanted to help out in whatever way she could.

“My heart sank. It means a lot to be able to minister with words but with actions,” Weaver said.

Pastor Jeremy Ragland said he arrived on the scene shortly after the crash to assist.

He said the community’s response was overwhelming and his church wanted to continue that by providing dinner to the family of the student.

“Just show them love and the support of not only people that they know but people that they don’t know to let them know that we’ll help them all get through it,” Ragland said.

Through prayer and support, members of Park Avenue Baptist Church said they’re hoping to provide comfort.

“As a parent having a 16-year-old, it began to rip my heart out and just want to do anything I could because one day god forbid it could be somebody else, it could be me,” Ragland said.