Page 105 - South Mississippi Living - December, 2018

GIVING BACK a community kitchen
LOAVES AND FISHES
story by Lynn Lofton and photo courtesy of Loaves & Fishes
Loaves & Fishes was one of many community kitchens started in 1983 to provide meals for those in need. It was founded by a group of 18 churches of all denominations along with some local non-profit organizations and served 75 people the first day.
“The country was in terrible economic times and a lot of people were struggling nightly,” says CEO Bob Learned. “From the beginning we delivered fresh meals to the home bound all around Point Cadet.”
He explains that these organizations are now called community kitchens rather than soup kitchens as they were formerly known. Meals are prepared and delivered by volunteers three days a week with an average of 55
meals a day. This schedule is part
of the arrangement with Sea Shore Mission, which delivers meals on the other days.
“One of the most amazing things
is that we have people who have consistently volunteered for 35 years,” Learned said. “We serve 4,000 meals
a month in the facility. Typically,
those numbers go up this time of year. Along with Sea Shore Mission, we supply food for some cold weather shelters too.”
Loaves & Fishes needs a minimum
of $10,000 each month to pay the bills. “We need a lot of food and a lot of volunteers,” Learned said. “We always need large supplies of spices because we go through a lot. People can help
by going to our facebook page where we list our needs.”
There will be a fundraiser on May 10 called Stint in the Tent at which those interested can camp out at the Loaves & Fishes facility. “We hope it will orient people to what it’s like to live outside,” Learned said. “We’re also developing a fundraiser for next fall to include meals, games and music.”
Loaves & Fishes 260 Main St., Biloxi 228.436.6172
www.coastepa.com • 877-769-2372
W
orking together, the cooperative way, we can make a difference. For more information about Operation Round Up, visit
www.coastepa.com
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December 2018 • SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living 105