Issue link: http://maconmagazine.uberflip.com/i/1512887
EVERY PERSON DESERVES AN OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A PURPOSE The Loaves and Fishes Ministry of Macon is working toward this every day. Donate to Loaves & Fishes - loavesandfishesministry.org I t began as a typical Tuesday at the Ministry but soon became a heartwarming and joyous success story to be celebrated. The day started out with our 9 a.m. breakfast and was quickly followed by a lineup of more than a dozen cars in Hope Alley for a grocery pickup at 10 a.m. The two pick-up truck loads of groceries from the Middle Georgia Community Food Bank had been rescheduled to this Tuesday morning. Since the alley was occupied with grocery pickup, the only option for unloading the items from the Food Bank was to park the truck at the front entrance and hand carry the boxes to the inventory racks in the back of the Ministry Center. One of of client friends asked if he could help unload. "You sure can," was the response. In a few minutes, another client offered to help, and another and another until we had a team of eight people enthusiastically unloading the two truckloads of items. We had a human conveyor belt working together as smoothly as one could hope, and the unloading was completed in a matter of minutes and without a hitch. When they were offered a few dollars for helping unload, some answered, "We didn't do it for the money. We want to help give back when we can." It was a heartwarming experience for everyone involved. People want to help regardless of their circumstances. This team effort made everything we do at the Ministry worthwhile. The Loaves and Fishes Ministry is a center where hope lives. Basic human needs are provided to people on a daily basis. In addition to basic services such as meals and groceries, the Ministry provides much needed assistance through different programs and services such as obtaining birth certificates, IDs, and prescription and dental assistance. The need continues to grow. Without our donors, we couldn't make positive things happen. We are appealing to everyone in Middle Georgia to contribute. Monetary donations are always welcomed, but there are many other ways people can help: food drives, fundraisers, and mentorship. Everything the Ministry does with our small staff and terrific volunteers is geared toward helping people get back on track to self-reliance. Thank you for your dedicated support. May God bless you!