Tag Archives: homeless ministry

Baltimore Restaurant Owner To Feed Homeless Rather Than Promote Self

A Baltimore restaurant owner is passing on a week of self-promotion as part of the city’s “Baltimore Restaurant Week” to feed the homeless of the city.

Michael Tabrizi, owner of Tabrizi’s, will shut down his dining room from July 20th to July 25th to provide three meals a day for those in need.

“I decided that, after all of the chaos earlier this year, it would be better to do something for the city to unite the people,” he says. “It isn’t about revenue and money right now, we’ve done restaurant week before and we know the numbers, but right now it’s more important to promote the welfare of the city and its residents rather than to promote the business.”

Tabrizi said that the week will mean more than just providing a hot meal for those who need it but also providing some dignity to those who find themselves worrying about where they will find their next meal.

“These people don’t only suffer from hunger, but also from hopelessness, they feel that they don’t have any dignity anymore,” Tabrizi says. “We want them to come in and feel like they’re cared for.”

Tabrizi is asking for volunteers from the community to help serve the meals at 1, 3 and 5 p.m. each day.

“The main goal is just to show people that actions do matter. Baltimore has a long way to recover and we can’t just rely on other people to lead. It’s our city,” Tabrizi says. “My dad used to always say, ‘You can’t control what people do and say, but you can control how you act.’ My reaction is bringing people together and showing them that I care.”

Woman Fined $2,000 For Feeding Homeless

A Christian woman is facing a fine of $2,000 for feeding the homeless in San Antonio.

Joan Cheever has been serving hot plates of food to the homeless in the city since 2005.  Cheever is well known for using her food truck and helping those in need.  She’s appeared on national TV shows like Rachael Ray, she’s been photographed with various city leaders and is known among the homeless as someone who reflects Jesus in her care for them.

Then earlier this month Cheever was shocked when some San Antonio police showed up to harass her and her staff for their act of charity.

Cheever said she asked the cops, “What’s the problem?” and they replied, “You.”

‘One of the police officers said, “Ma’am, if you want to pray, go to church,” and I said, “This is how I pray. When I cook this food and deliver it to the people who are less fortunate,’ Cheever told News 4 San Antonio.

While they were forced to leave that day, they didn’t let the intimidation stop them.

‘I came back to the park the following Tuesday and was met with 100 people who had candles and signs,’ Cheever said. ‘This isn’t only about The Chow Train. It’s about every non-profit and every person who wants to do a good thing, but are intimidated by the $2,000 fine and possible arrest. So we’re just going to keep rolling on.’

Cheever has hired a lawyer to help her fight the city.

Advocates for the homeless around the country are standing behind Cheever.

“We’re all human,” said Megan Hustings of the National Coalition for the Homeless. “Giving someone a sandwich at a park is not going to keep them in homelessness; it’s not encouraging anyone to remain homeless. This is just an act of charity, and do we really want to criminalize that in our society? This is a moral issue.“

Pope: Devil Is “The Father of Hate”

Pope Francis surprised of a small Roman district by appearing at a shantytown for homeless families and then teaching at a nearby parish.

The Pope stopped at a shantytown called “Campo Arcobaleno” where he visited with the families and prayed with them.  He also met with some of the homeless families at the parish of San Michele Arcangelo where the church cares for the homeless.

“The fact that people do not know your name, and call you ‘homeless’ and you carry this: It is your cross, and your patience,” said Pope Francis. “But there is something in the heart of all of you – of this, please be assured – there is the Holy Spirit.”

The Pope then met with the children of the parish, speaking mostly to the older children in attendance about war and evil in the world.  He had the children make a list of places they know war is taking place such as Iraq, Ukraine and Africa and then he said that wars are easier for people who do not possess God.

The Pope asked the children who was the father of war and smiled when they responded “the devil.”

Pope Francis then said the devil is the “father of hate” and “the father of lies.”

“But God wants unity,” Pope Francis said. “If in your heart you feel jealousy, this is the beginning of war.  Jealousies are not of God.”

“Because the devil takes stupidity and makes a world,” he continued. “Then these enmities continue and multiply for years.  It destroys the family: Parents suffer because their children do not speak to each other, or with the wife of a son…And so this jealousy and envy, it is sowed by the devil.  And the only one who can drive out demons is Jesus.  The only one who can heal these things is Jesus. So to each of your: Have yourself healed by Jesus.”

The concluded the visit with a teaching to the entire congregation about the importance of Jesus in their lives and how vital is it to stay in contact with the Scriptures.

“Have this daily contact with the Gospel,” Pope Francis said.  “Pray with the Gospel.”

Bowery Mission Hosts 135th Thanksgiving Day Homeless Dinner

New York City’s Bowery Mission spent their 135th straight Thanksgiving providing thousands of meals to the homeless of the city.

“More than 600 volunteers will prepare these meals and serve guests in the mission’s century-old chapel, with music and festive decorations for the holiday,” James Winans, chief development officer at the Bowery Mission, told The Christian Post.

The mission serves meals in two hour shifts throughout the day.  The meals are traditional Thanksgiving meals with turkey, potatoes, stuffing, green beans, gravy and all the fixings.

“Pie for dessert,” Winans added with a smile.

Winans said that mission doesn’t bother with seeking someone’s “eligibility for services” or other qualifying standards for government shelters.

“We simply seek to meet their specific need, no questions asked,” he said.

The Bowery Mission was founded in 1879 and has given out almost 400,000 meals to the homeless this year.

Megachurch Pastor To Live On Streets For Fundraiser

The pastor of an influential Sacramento, California megachurch has said he will live on the streets for two weeks or until $100,000 is raised to start a homeless shelter in the area.

Rick Cole says that he feels God calling him to take the step to raise awareness of the need for a winter shelter for the homeless of his community.

“Tomorrow, I’m going downtown on light rail, I picked up my light rail pass today…I’ve never ridden light rail in my life, not even once, not even for fun, and so that’s gonna be my mode of transportation for the next two weeks and we’ll adjust as we go along the way and we’ll communicate to you as we go along the way,” Cole explained in a sermon to his congregation Saturday.

“That’s what I believe God wants me to do and what we’re gonna do together,” Cole went on to say. “I’d like us just to make our prayer about God’s power to touch our city…This idea is not very old, probably about two or three weeks old and every step along the way it’s only gained momentum and excitement. My wife even has grown Ok with it. That was a miracle all by itself so we are excited about the many things I think God wants us to do with this particular project and how we can grow and impact this community.”

The shelter, which will be called Winter Sanctuary, has an overall goal of $300,000.  A website has been created at www.revonthestreet.com to allow people to donate to the mission.

“The ultimate goal is there are some hurting people, really hurting and we’re taught by God to help ’em. Go to them, make a difference. When you do this to the least if these Jesus said you done it to me. You want to get close to Jesus get close to some hurting people and when you help ’em in His name then you’ve just touched him in the most profound way,” Cole told his congregation Saturday.

Satanist Arrested Outside Christian Homeless Shelter

A Satanist has been arrested in Prescott, Arizona after threatening a Christian-owned homeless shelter.

Eric Minerault, 22, was arrested after he was seen burning something on the steps of the Yavapai Territorial Gospel Rescue Mission in Prescott.  The staff of the mission said that someone had set a fire on their steps.

Minerault was found on the steps of the church next to a burned and wet Bible.

Police said that Minerault then admitted that he burned the Bible and then urinated on it because he wanted to “curse the Christians.”  He said that he was the “dark Lord” and that he was putting curses on the Christians who were inside the building.

Police are trying to determine if Minerault is being a series of Bible burnings on church properties around the Mesa area or if he is working independently of others.

Officials say they consider the other case separate and an arsonist on the loose until they can find evidence to prove otherwise.

Dream Center To Fight Possible Ban On Feeding Homeless

The Los Angeles Dream Center is mobilizing opposition to a potential ban on feeding Los Angeles’ homeless residents.

L.A. City Councilman Tom LaBonge introduced a motion that would prohibit all organizations, including religious ones, from providing outdoor food services to the needy.  LaBonge said such activities “get in the public’s right of way” and they can have “negative impacts to the surrounding community.”

The Dream Center and supporters have started a petition drive to show that the public does not support the restrictions on feeding those in need.

“If feeding were to be banned or restricted, it would cut off our lifeline to not only feed the homeless but families,” Pastor Matthew Barnett told The Christian Post.  “Tens of thousands of people would be impacted. Mobile trucks are the only way to reach people. We’ve been doing this for nearly twenty years. Mobile outreach meets people in their world and that’s where the impacts are made.”

The National Coalition for the Homeless, based in Washington, D.C., said they will be mobilizing to help the L.A. effort.

“It’s mean-spirited to deny hungry people food and wrong for the city council to ban charitable acts,” Jerry Jones of Coalition said. “If volunteers want to feed homeless people, the city shouldn’t be throwing up roadblocks, they should be thanking them.”

Bridge Ministry Feeds 1,500 Homeless Thanksgiving Dinner

A bridge ministry that started by feeding 50 homeless people living under a bridge in Georgia has grown to the point over 1,500 homeless men and women were fed a pre-Thanksgiving dinner.

Pastor Roger Gardner of New Hope Worship Center in Augusta, Georgia founded the ministry in 2007 with an initial group of 50.  The church now holds services under a bridge every Saturday and regularly sees around 350 people per week.

“Last Saturday we had about 400 volunteers show up and we feed about 1,500 people … we usually grow about 200 a year but it seems there is more desperation in our nation today than there was a year ago,” Pastor Gardner told Fox News.

Volunteers said they give away over 1,000 hot meals a month at Bridge Ministry and over 600 bags of hygiene products.  The group has even started a food pantry that serves local families who are facing tough times.

Gardner said their hard work comes from a passion to minister to the poor.

“We want to see our homeless people get jobs and come off of drugs and have the opportunity to blend back into society,” he said.

“The average American looks at a homeless person as an invisible person.  We see them as a soul, as a human being…people have the idea that poverty is being poor and hungry and naked but poverty is being unwanted, unloved, and uncared for. They are our brothers and sisters.”