Crowds of people off the street in line waiting to be fed. Tables filled with all the fixings of a home-cooked meal. People willing to reach out to those who need help and make a difference in someone’s life. Those are a few of the things one should expect to see on a Saturday afternoon on Phifer Street.
About six years ago, University City Fellowship, a church that meets in Jay M. Robinson High School in Concord, created a ministry that reaches out to the homeless community of Charlotte. Every Saturday, church members go to Phifer Street in downtown Charlotte, a location better known to the locals as “the wall,” bringing home-cooked food, drinks and desserts to feed any person who needs a meal that day. Most locals have caught on to the ministry, and are faithful to come back every week at 3:30 and get in line.
William Evans, who is 44, said, “If it weren’t for them, I wouldn’t know where the next meal will come from.” Evans said he can’t eat three meals a day, and he tries to save what he can.
Jeff Burgess, 45, lives in a tent in downtown Charlotte because he says the men’s shelter is too chaotic for him, with many people involved with drugs and violence. He was laid off in August, and hasn’t been able to earn enough money to pay his rent since. Burgess said that yes, the ministry gives hope, and he especially likes to see kids helping out because it reminds him of his own.
When asked why he keeps spending his Saturday afternoons in downtown Charlotte giving away free food, Bill Love, an organizer for the ministry responded, “The Lord has done a bunch for me. It’s a good way to give back to those who don’t have a lot.”
Love referenced James 1:27 from the Bible, a verse about taking care of others who are in distress.
Patrick Shaughnessy, another one of the original founders of the ministry, also referenced James 1:27, and said they chose to minister to homeless people because of “the feasibility of buying someone food and being able to start a discussion. Everyone needs to eat.”
According to Shaughnessy, the ministry was started in hopes of meeting needs in an organic way, and having the meal to be the “means and not the end.” By providing a meal, the group seeks to start relationships and learn how to further meet the individual’s needs.
The turnout on Saturdays has grown immensely. More and more people are finding themselves without jobs and homes, but UCF ministry is able to shine a light in the lives of people who are struggling, at least for a few hours.
Evans said, “I like to see everybody gettin’ together eatin’- kinda enjoyin’ themselves. But afterward reality sets in.”
Despite Evans’ love and appreciation for the ministry, he says that people on the streets need much more than just 1 meal a day. Another lady who came to eat last Saturday said, “It’s a bigger problem than what people think.”
I encourage you to get involved and join the fight in speaking up for the homeless in any way that you can. I know that UCF church would love to have you, and you can contact them through their website: ucfellowship.org. They are working on merging with 2 other churches to be able to serve more people on Saturdays, so feel free to go the website and get connected if you want to help!
More photos on Flickr.
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