Church volunteers take meals to the streets

A church is “taking it to the streets” as it focuses its attention on children and seniors in need.

Vernon Temple A.M.E. Church in Southampton has partnered with the Eliza DoLittle Society as part of the Daily Bread feeding programme.

Reverend Pedro Castro calls it “a divine opportunity” to reach out to the community.

Church staff and volunteers will be dishing up food to the hungry.

Rev. Castro said: “We’re really excited about this new partnership. We all know how costly food can be, especially with the economy the way it is.

“Our concern is that children and seniors receive a nutritious and balanced meal.

 “This is a sensitive issue for many but we aren’t pointing the finger, we are just offering help where help is needed.”

About 50 continental breakfasts will be given to students who attend ‘Power Breakfast’ at CedarBridge Academy. The morning worship session takes place from 8am, Monday to Friday and addresses topics of interest to young people.

Up to 40 meals will also be provided at an after-school tutorial at a yet-to-be-decided primary school from October.

Children will receive help with their schoolwork in what is being called an “academic renaissance” and a family-style, sit-down meal will be on offer.  In October a monthly seniors’ lunch will also start at Vernon Temple so the elderly can enjoy a hot meal while listening to inspirational messages.

Vernon Temple has been carrying out community-based initiatives since 2008 as part of its Village Pride programme.

This has included movie nights for young people, Saturday evening services for youth and discussions.

They have “touched people on the surface” by creating a safe haven for young people but they now want to “reach deeper into the community”.

Rev. Georgette Prime-Godwin, associate minister at Vernon Temple and executive director of Village Pride, said the church was “stepping up its game.”

She said: “We want the church to become more of a part of the community.

“Not everyone can come on a Sunday to worship so we are saturating ourselves in the community.

“If people can’t come to us, we will go to them.

“The Bible teaches us to go out in the community and that’s what we are doing. We are taking it to the streets.”

Vernon Temple hopes to become a “one-stop shop” for people in need.

They will do what they can or “point people in the right direction”.

The Village Pride scheme also receives funding from Wok Express in Southampton. Residents use locally distributed money-off vouchers and five per cent of the order goes to the church.

Some patients at the Mid Atlantic Wellness Institute just don’t know where their next meal is coming from.

Men and women are struggling to make ends meet and only eat “when they can get food”.

These are among those who will be helped by the Eliza DoLittle Society’s Daily Bread programme.

Patients will benefit from fresh food being delivered to MAWI’s Morning Breakfast Programme, which welcomes about 120 people a month.

Kelly Madeiros, a psychiatric social worker at MAWI, said: “Getting food is difficult for people living in the community, they tell us they are hungry.

“They only eat when they can get food. They may use the other feeding outlets and get food vouchers every now and then but how they are going to eat and where they are going to get food remains a constant struggle.”

Mrs. Madeiros said the Daily Bread programme comes at just the right time as donations of food, utensils and pots and pans has decreased and funding is not available.

Hot breakfasts have been replaced by cereal and toast and the twice-weekly treat of French toast.

The Morning Breakfast Programme runs from Monday to Friday at 8am and relies on patients paying a $1 fee.

Mrs. Madeiros said: “It assures service users have at least one meal in the day as well as offers a place where people can start to engage with the other services provided at MAWI.

“Breakfast has proven to be an important meal for people to be able to be productive throughout the day.

“Daily Bread could be an instrumental resource that could help the Morning Breakfast Programme continue and not disappear due to lack of funding.