People Loving Nashville

Yesterday I helped out an amazing organization called People Loving Nashville. They are ten year old non-profit that has been feeding the poor and homeless on Monday nights in downtown Nashville. Their organization started ten years ago when they wanted to give their Thanksgiving leftovers to the poor. They have not missed providing a meal on a Monday night in ten years. They also give out clothes and sleeping bags on Monday nights. Two other non-profit organizations have joined them to provide showers and haircuts.

The day began by helping to prepare all the food in a commercial kitchen in the basement of  a church. The menu was chicken fingers, salad, homemade macaroni and cheese and fresh baked cookies. As we got closer to bringing the food downtown, the church’s cafeteria filled up with over 60 people who came to help out. Before we left to bring the food and clothes downtown we were assigned jobs and had a time of prayer. I originally signed up to pass out the cookies but asked if I could be a greeter instead.

We all drove in our own cars to a park downtown that the state lets People Loving Nashville use with the stipulation that every piece of trash gets picked up st the end of the night. When I arrived the place was a humming with people waiting for meals, getting haircuts, waiting to get clothes and standing in line at the one of the two Shower Up trucks. 

As the meals were being passed I roamed around and chatted with some of the guests. I did the best I could to make people feel welcome and get to know their situations. I don’t feel like I did a real lot but I learned so much about how the homeless can be helped in different ways. I did get the opportunity to pray with a few of the people. My heart really went out for them knowing that some of them would be sleeping in a car or a tent in some pretty chilly weather. Please keep the homeless people of Nashville in your prayers.

Tonight I will be helping out The Bridge Ministry which provides meals and clothing under the Jefferson Street Bridge and also has a church service with live worship music.  

Al from Fall River, MA. Drove down to Nashville a month ago after a bad divorce. Living in his car. Just got a job a Amazon.

IQ from Nashville

IQ and Al are best friends. IQ took Al under his wing and has shown him I to survive being homeless in Nashville. 

Joseph from Alaska 

Casey from Indiana. Came to Nashville five years ago to pursue a music career. He plays guitar and sings country music. People tell him he looks like Doc.  Holiday because of the way he dresses. Tonight he was able to get some thermal underwear. He sleeps in a tent and he says it’s pretty comfortable and warm with the a thick mattress and all the blankets he has. My heart really went out for Casey as I stood there in the cold air knowing he would be sleeping in a tent tonight. Great guy with a great attitude!