Ask any volunteer who has served with us at Saturday Servings, and they'll likely tell you that they feel they were blessed more by the experience than those they met and served. That's because volunteering at these events is far more than slinging hash or getting your halo shined. And most folks realize that the moment they step out of their comfort zones...praying with strangers, holding hands with skin colors unlike your own, hugging the unbathed, trading your shoes for someone's with holes, or biting your tongue instead of complaining about how miserably hot, cold, or wet you are when you know the person across from you whose styrofoam plate you're loading up with spaghetti doesn't have a home to escape the weather like you will once the last soul is served. Serve with us often, and you'll begin to experience and appreciate all that God is doing through and for our guests and our volunteers.
These events are held every Saturday...regardless of weather. Setup begins at 12:30, and we serve until 3:30 or until we run out of meals and groceries.
In November of 2017, we began creating confidential profiles on the households we serve, to allow us to better understand their needs and where we might provide assistance. These profiles show us who needs health insurance, housing, jobs, and emergency shelter. Since 2017, we've created profiles on over 6,000 men, women and children so far. Tragically, over 700 of them indicate they are experiencing homelessness.
Lunches Served
In 2016, volunteers from our partner churches and businesses purchased, prepared and served 3,639 delicious hot meals. In 2017, 6,469 lunches were served. In 2018, they served 11,565 lunches. In 2019, 10,739 lunches were served. And in 2020, 12,954 lunches were served, despite pausing operations for three weeks when the pandemic first struck. 2021 began with 372 meals being served on January 2nd, and gave us 35 record crowds, including two Saturdays in February over 500! We ended 2021 serving 306 neighbors on Christmas Day, bringing our total tally to 16,205 lunches served in 2021.
Canned Goods Distributed
Our Mo Hope Mobile Pantry usually provides each member of a household one days' worth of food...2 cans of proteins, 2 cans of veggies, 1 can of fruit, and 1 starch. In response to the Covid-19 virus, we have increased to two days' worth of food. That's 10 cans per person per week at $1 per can. When available, we provide fresh fruit, veggies, and bread. In 2018, over 57,800 cans of food were distributed. And in 2019, we distributed over 53,600 cans. In 2020, we shifted from counting cans of food to counting meals that can be prepared with the food we distribute. That equated to 77,724 meals last year. The increase in the amount of food we provide has been made possible in large part because of our Neighborhood Canned Food Drive program, created in response to impact on grocery prices and availability our neighbors are experiencing because of the pandemic. In 2021, we distributed enough groceries to prepare 97,230 healthy meals.
Toiletries Distributed
Our Mo Hope Mobile Pantry also progvides toiletries to our guests as most of those items can't be purchased using SNAP funds. Prior to COVID, we provided each member of a household a bag of toiletries intended to last a week. Each bag contained a roll of toilet paper, tooth brush, toothpaste, comb, deodorant, soap, shampoo, razor, and lip balm. In 2018, over 11,000 toiletry bags were distributed. And in 2019, over 10,700 bags were distributed. In response to COVID and social distancing challenges, we chose to cease pre-bagging hygiene items, and now offer primarily toilet paper, with other items provided upon request.
Servings are held at the Brookhill Azalea Shopping Center 5300 Chamberlayne Rd. Across the parking lot from Food Lion.
Saturday Servings Summary 9/10/2022…
Thanks to our friends from Glen Allen Baptist Church for preparing hot dogs for lunch! Today marks our 400th Saturday Servings event! Thanks to everyone who has been a part of this journey so far! We only served a two dozen of my homeless friends on our first Saturday, and at least three of them joined us again today. The guest tally today was 459 neighbors served including 168 families.
Tents and sleeping bags remain the most expensive items we give out on Saturdays, and the number of neighbors needing them is higher than ever. Last week we gave out 12 tents and 15 sleeping bags, and today we gave out 12 tents and 12 sleeping bags. We have about one week’s worth of sleeping bags left. Please help if you can…thanks! Amazon Wish List https://a.co/9NjezaB
Thanks to our friends with the Hanover Ruritans and everyone helping our clothing ministry today! We continue to streamline our clothing ministry in an effort to keep the line short, moving, and socially-distanced. This has made it necessary to shift our focus to giving out only new socks, underwear, and t-shirts, and work boots in special circumstances. We have plenty of socks, but need underwear and t-shirts. Walmart Registry https://www.walmart.com/registry/RR/55e18458-6e48-498b-8a75-b4bc741bd4da
Our Ask the Nurse table was blessed to have pharmacy students join in checking blood pressure. Thank you! These events provide practical service opportunities for area students and educators in the health fields like pharmacy and nursing, and we love having them.
Our Let’s Pray table is embarrassingly low on large & jumbo print Bibles. Our Prayer Warriors are growing in numbers praying with our guests! Thank you!
I stand in awe of what God has done, the lives HE has touched on both sides of the serving tables through these events. A whole lot of folks & families have been a part of the journey…a lot of churches and businesses too. Thank you all!
~ Bob
At our Ask the Nurse table, Nurse Barbara and her team of Nurses provide free health screenings, wound care, and answers to questions about medical problems our friends are experiencing. They frequently have to refer friends to Emergency Rooms due to their blood pressure and blood sugar readings, and that sometimes means a call to 911.
Our Bible Study led by Bean is open to all who wish to discover who God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are, and what it means to be in relationship with them. Whether they've never heard of the Trinity or were raised by nuns, this gathering accepts our guests where they are in their journey. Those who participate on a regular basis receive their own NIV Bible with jumbo print and red letter text.
Bill the Bike Man and his comrades Archie and Rod run our onsite Bike Shop. Together, they've dovetailed their passion for bicycles and for sharing the Gospel into an amazing ministry that provides donated bikes that they refurbish and present as reliable transportation to those on a long waiting list. They also make repairs and tune the bikes they gift. In the two years since the Bike Shop began, over 103 bikes have been gifted!
Guest birthdays on the last Saturday of every month. Kathie the Cupcake Lady bakes delicious cupcakes and distributes them to everyone whose birthday was in the current month. For many, this is the only time their birthday is acknowledged. Especially if they're homeless.
David oversees our Clothing ministry which was paused due to COVID. We will have big news about restarting this vital ministry soon…
Our Intake Manager, Maureen, managers our emergency shelter program and assists guest applying for replacement photo IDs, birth certificates, and Social Security cards. She also helps them apply for Medicaid, Medicare, SNAP, SSDI, SSI, and other vital benefits.
Prayer Warriors from numerous churches staff our Let's Pray table, and provide personal prayer with guests who request it. Bibles and inspirational literature is also available.
Betty Jo, our Director of Pantry Operations oversees an incredible team of volunteers who rarely miss a Saturday serving guests at our Mobile Pantry, where they receive free canned goods, fresh fruits & veggies, fresh bread, and toiletries. For many, the food they receive means not having to miss meals.
Department of Medical Assistance Services is one of the agencies we partner with to bring access to things like Medicaid and other benefits to those we serve.
5300 Chamberlayne Road, Richmond, Virginia 23227, United States
Mon | Closed | |
Tue | Closed | |
Wed | Closed | |
Thu | Closed | |
Fri | Closed | |
Sat | 12:30 p.m. – 03:30 p.m. | |
Sun | Closed |
Michael's Testimony
Sherry & Stewart
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