Aidan Stiger's arms started to feel heavy.

Shooting 100 free throws in a row is a sneakily physically daunting task, but knowing it's for charity can provide some relief.

On March 27, the Factory Ministries held its annual b.i.g. Shots event, a fundraiser where participants shoot 100 free throws for charity.

"It's a mental game," Stiger said. "You've got to keep yourself in it and try to stay focused."

The Factory Ministries, 3293 Lincoln Highway East, Paradise, holds programming with the goal of addressing poverty and empowering those who are affected by it in eastern Lancaster County and the surrounding areas.

Its annual b.i.g. Shots event, a collaboration with Baron Insurance Group, has been held since 2018. Community members can sponsor shooters either at a flat rate or per shot made.

It's certainly more unique than the average fundraiser.

"I was trying to get that muscle memory down," said Stiger, who was representing Smoker Door Sales. "Then you get one or two there where you lose it for a little bit."

Stiger, once a prep basketball player for Lampeter-Strasburg, wound up making 65 of his 100 attempts. His brother, Caleb, is also heavily involved with the fundraiser and manages Baron Insurance Group's Gordonville branch.

This year, Factory Ministries raised over $43,000 through the fundraiser. The top shooter was Jared Harvey of Red Truck Mechanical, who made 85 shots. Ron Bare of Bare Wealth Advisors was the most sponsored shooter.

Factory Ministries holds a variety of programs aimed at addressing poverty. It has an on-site market, which provides those in need with food that can be purchased with Factory Bucks, which can be earned through attending Factory-based programs.

"It's a way to empower them," Factory Ministries communications director Ellie Green said of the market. "This is something that they have done, they have earned."

All the food in the market is donated from the community, businesses, churches and school districts. If you are interested in donating, contact Kerri Burns, market and community engagement coordinator at 717-575-1538 or kerri@thefactoryministries.com.

Factory Ministries also holds workforce advocacy and adult advocacy programs that support work environments and equip adults with learning and community resources, respectively.

The ministry also partners with Pequea Valley School District and has several youth resources, such as its youth center and the "Building Braves" program.

"As much as possible, we're trying to make the factory a one-stop shop for our community," Green said. "If there are resources that you need, as much as possible, we want you to be able to access that here instead of having to go across the county."

The money raised through Friday's event goes directly toward these programs.

"Our mission is to empower people, connect resources and build community," Green said. "We do that from birth through elderly."

Green said that the ministry attracts residents from all over the area, beyond Pequea Valley, as far west as Lancaster city and as far south as Oxford. The ministry regularly gets people in from New Holland, Strasburg and Leola.

If there are resources located closer to where somebody is from, Factory Ministries redirects people to those resources.

To learn more or get involved with Factory Ministries, call 717-687-9594, email info@thefactoryministries.com or visit "The Factory Ministries" on both Facebook and Instagram.