Our Story

In 2004, our family volunteered to serve the homeless and disadvantaged at the Thanksgiving Super Feast hosted by the City-Wide Club at the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston.     We along with many other volunteers sorted and folded donated clothing then placed the items on the tables for those who would come through the line for needing something to wear.   We were overwhelmed by the number of those in need; but did our best to make them feel welcome and loved, to help them find something that fit and to make them laugh.  Our compassion and concern for them would not allow us to enjoy our own Thanksgiving dinner that day without vowing to return the next year and we have done so every year since then. 

 

We realized as we returned the next year that many men asked for socks and under garments.  But there were none to give them so we decided to do something about it.  Though the men were willing to accept any of these used items even in the most unsanitary conditions, we did not distribute such items.  Neither would we want to do so.  So we began by purchasing socks from Walmart and Sam’s Club to give to those who needed them.  Although our initial contribution only put a small dent in what was actually needed, we were determined to do what we could. If we couldn’t help them all, we would help as many as we could.

Then we had the idea of giving our neighbors on Lafone Street in Spring, Texas an opportunity to help us help others.   Our son Alan helped place flyers on neighbors’ doors to inform them of the need and we set a trunk outside our door so neighbors could deposit needed items in it two weeks prior to the Super Feast. Our neighbors were overwhelmingly generous. Each morning we would check the trunk and it was like Christmas, overflowing from their generosity.  Well, things took off from there and now we find ourselves establishing a ministry to provide socks, t-shirts, and underwear for homeless and poor men with plans to do address similar needs for the women.   It is also our desire to provide these items for those in our community who may be temporarily displaced by fire or other unforeseen circumstances as well.

We laugh even now at the way our daughter Kelly, became a self-appointed personal shopper as she helped the ladies in line find outfits in their sizes that first year. She made each woman in need feel so very special.   We are especially proud of both Kelly and Alan because they continued the tradition of serving the homeless (without any prompting from us) even when James and I were away in Africa during Thanksgiving one year.

Just as Jesus trained His disciples to see and meet the needs of the people, He opened our eyes to see that something the people needed was missing and then He opened our hearts to commit to do something about it and not just walk away.  Rather than adopt the disciples quick response and ‘send them away’, we chose to respond as Jesus would – with love and compassion.

Our goal is to deliver what God sends to those in need from our hands and the hands of other caring people with the hope that these clothing items will give warmth, comfort, dignity and a message of love from God to all who receive them.