FEEDING THE HUNGRY

It hurts my heart to see needs unmet and people in pain. And I see a lot of hurting people. As the Executive Director of Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen, I come in contact with so many people in our community that don’t know when their next meal is coming. Food insecurity is real. There are countless families that encounter this each day. To be able to fill such a vital need brings joy to my heart. I’ve also learned that many of these people often need a listening ear, an encouraging word and sometimes just a hug. Growing up in a large family, I know what it’s like to always have a sibling, parent aunt or uncle to talk to—but for many, they do not have family. Others may have family, but they live far away, so Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen isn’t just a place to feed your body. Rather, it has become a place to come and feel the love of others. Everything we do at Our Daily Bread Soup Kitchen is about showing the love of Jesus. Everyone who works and volunteers at our Soup Kitchen shows love to each child and adult who walks through the door. It may be a smile, receiving a coat, or having someone ask, “how are you doing?” In addition to the Soup Kitchen, I’m also the co-founder of the Village of Barnabas, a mentoring program for troubled youth. Our goal is to save the lives of children. We mentor them, guide them, and expose them to things they might not otherwise have access to. Some of these children have suffered great loss due to gun violence taking away a sibling and, in some cases, their parents. I believe as a Christian, it is my charge to fill in the gap and help these beautiful children along their journeys.