September 2022 Newsletter
Homeless for three years, Shawna now serves on the Mobile Soup Kitchen outreach team.
Thank you for being a part of this ministry. Your prayers and your gifts of service and resources are greatly appreciated. God has used your support for Hearts to reach many in our community who are in need; including Shawna.
Shawna has graciously shared her story with us and allowed us to introduce her to you. In this month’s newsletter, you will read a snippet of her story and we hope to share more with you over time as there is much to her journey.
We are so happy to share that Shawna is no longer homeless and now serves with Hearts often to reach people she knows personally who are still on the street. While homeless, seeking food and clothing, Shawna started visiting the Mobile Soup Kitchen regularly. It is safe to say she found much more than tangible relief. Experiencing volunteers taking the time to get to know her and her story has impacted her deeply. Shawna shared that the Hearts volunteers taught her to open up to others and ask for help. This led her to a newfound trust and confidence which she used to seek out help from other organizations and programs to get off the street and into housing. We give God the glory and praise for the work He has done in her life. Shawna’s impact on others today is profound. Serving those who are struggling with homelessness is one way God is using Shawna to impact others. She often prays with folks on the streets, uses her testimony to build trusting relationships and encourages others to trust those looking to help them.
Your support helps to make life-changing relationships possible. Hearts Mobile Soup Kitchen, the longest running program at Hearts, remains on the front lines using food and clothing as a way to reach people with much more: friendship, hope and the love of Christ.
From Hearts Kitchen
“Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter.” ~Isaiah 58:7
AUGUST 2022
Total Clients Served at Library: 1,023
Male: 749
Female: 227
Seniors: 24
Children: 16
Hot Meals Made for Homeless Shelters: 3,200
Meal Bags Made for Buffalo Dream Center Outreach: 400
Talk From The Street & Heart
“Mobile Soup Kitchen Volunteers serve on the front lines for Hearts for the Homeless. Their faces are the ones our clients see on a regular basis, their words and actions are what make an impact in the lives of the homeless…”
– Skylar Shurr, Outreach Program Manager
Hearts Harvest Food Pantry
Households | Infants | Toddlers | Children | Adults | Seniors | Individuals |
524 | 38 | 120 | 503 | 912 | 130 | 1,456 |
Hearts Mobile Food Pantry
Each month the Mobile Food Pantry brings something different to the Riverside community. This month the team at Hearts was able to provide everyone with fresh bread from Pepperidge Farm in addition to produce from FeedMore WNY.
Households | Infants | Toddlers | Children | Adults | Seniors | Individuals |
115 | 0 | 19 | 91 | 203 | 15 | 328 |
The Mobile Pantry that is held in partnership with FeedMore WNY will take a break during November and December to make way for holiday outreach programs. Stay tuned for more information in the coming weeks about how you can get involved with those special events.
Summer Lunch Outreach
From 7/6 to 8/19 free summer lunches were provided at the Shaffer Village in Riverside. Hearts partnered with the West Side Promise Neighborhood (WSPN) on two summer events where free books, toys and other items were distributed at the summer lunch site. On 8/18/22 Hearts sponsored a petting zoo with Lakeview Animal Sanctuary bringing smiles to faces of all ages.
IMMEDIATE FOOD NEEDS
HOMELESS OUTREACH
- ALFREDO SAUCE
- MARINARA SAUCE
- ONION POWDER
- SANDWICH COOKIES
- RANCH DRESSING
DO NOT LEAVE
DONATIONS OUTSIDE.
We cannot accept expired food or opened containers!
Would you consider making an additional or first time gift for the Mobile Soup Kitchen engine?
This August, our Mobile Soup Kitchen bus broke down. For weeks, Hearts volunteers used their personal vehicles to feed those in need and not a single evening was missed. We thank God for their support.
The Mobile Soup Kitchen bus needed a replacement motor to get back on the road. Unfortunately, the repair was a costly one and a donation of even $10 would help us reach the goal of this emergency need. No donation is too small!