One Year of Weekly Food Sharings

This Monday April 17th it is our one year anniversary of our weekly Food Sharing for the homeless in Downtown Orlando. We started with monthly food sharing’s back in August of 2006, but they have been weekly since after spring break of 2007. It is amazing that because of everyone’s support we are still coming downtown every week to help serve those in need. This program has set the foundation of our friendships with the homeless, and seeking ways to help them get off the streets by working with them to find jobs, housing, and linkage to any needed services. I remember how much we have walked when we first started. We used to take bags of PB&J sandwiches to downtown every week along with many packs of Capri Sun’s. We would walk all over downtown to look for the homeless, and tell them to meet us every Monday at 7pm at the post office. There were smiles of joy on our faces when a few weeks later we walked around the corner to see that there were a few people waiting for us at the post office. Not long after that we met the amazing T Marie, and she immediately started a new tradition for us to bring hot food, after Ben and Tristen have made a few hot meals.

Then a few months later as our number of volunteers started to increase, and we were serving 40-60 people each week, we walked around that same corner to the post office as we do every week and were shocked! As we came around the church building on the corner and saw over 100 people standing there at the post office, we became worried about not having enough food. It so amazing to be able to connect with so many great individuals each week, and have them share their stories with us over dinner. Serving meals and working towards ending homelessness for over 100-130 people each week, has become a norm for us in recent months. It is great having build many new friendships, and soon with our new job-training/housing program to be able to help them get off the streets, and out of homelessness as we did for our very motivated friend Phil. This first success story will be one of many to come once our new program is fully launched thanks to the help of Adam, Greg, Patrick, and Kraesly. While I’m thanking people, I really want to thank every volunteer, every band that has ever performed or supported us, and every Board Member.

However, most of all I would like to thank Ben and Tristen for believing in this program, and being there from the start, and who are still continuing to make it grow each week. You two are amazing individuals, and will do many more great things in the future. Both of you have been there even from the beginning of Rock for Hunger’s existence, and believed in the mission from the start. We would not be where we are if it was not for you. There would have been no way we would have met so many amazing volunteers who now serve on our board, staff, and the homeless each week. It is great to be surrounded by you two, and so many amazing new talented and passionate individuals we have met and will continue to meet along the way. Thank you to everyone who makes this possible each week!