The Salvation Army:
Community Meals
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We have a homeless gentleman in our community. He has been in our community for 3 years now. When he first came to our community, I would see him walking around with his belongings, but he never approached the Salvation Army. After seeing him get through his first winter, I asked a coworker to let me know if he ever came into our building to let me know so I could see if he would be approachable. After another 6 months or so, he finally came into our building. He just shopped our free bread/sweet shelf. This gentleman never asked for anything else. At the end of winter 2024, he came into our building and came up for community meal. He sat in the farthest back table by himself - kept his head down, ate his food, cleared his table and left.
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After the first week of this, I asked my coworker to try and help me find out his first name so I could address him. He happened to come in for something and my coworker was able to get his first name. That next week, I stayed later at work and waited for him to come in, get his meal, and take his seat. I then went over and asked if I could join him and if he wouldn't mind some company. He agreed - Success!! We discussed the time he had been living in our community, what brought him here, what his plans are for the future. He answered all of my questions - even the hard ones - he appeared to be very honest in his answers. One thing that stuck out to me the very most was when he stated, "no one really cares, I don't really have any friends here, I'm just a homeless old man that will probably starve and freeze one of these winters." I decided then and there that I was going to find some help for this gentleman if it was the last thing I did.
his gentleman has attended community meal almost every single night since our discussion. He tells me continually how much he appreciates my taking the time to talk to him and treat him like a human being and someone that matters. After several months of receiving a free warm meal and someone to talk to, his attitude changed. I watched this gentleman make friends with others who attend the meal. He is even so very close to getting a place of his own. I feel that without our Community Meal, this individual would be all by himself, out in the elements, lonely, and suffering emotionally and mentally way more than any individual should have to.
his gentleman has attended community meal almost every single night since our discussion. He tells me continually how much he appreciates my taking the time to talk to him and treat him like a human being and someone that matters. After several months of receiving a free warm meal and someone to talk to, his attitude changed. I watched this gentleman make friends with others who attend the meal. He is even so very close to getting a place of his own. I feel that without our Community Meal, this individual would be all by himself, out in the elements, lonely, and suffering emotionally and mentally way more than any individual should have to.
- The Salvation Army
