LOAVES & FISHES SOUP KITCHENServing Escambia & Santa Rosa CountiesWHO WE ARELoaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen was organized in February 1983 at Child's Restaurant in Pensacola, Florida. For 30 years, our goal has been to reach out to homeless men, women and children in an effort to meet their needs both spiritually and materially. Our desire is to provide a safe, clean, uplifting environment for those in our community who find themselves in need. We want to offer our guests hope for a better future. We believe that a relationship with God through His Son, Jesus Christ is the essential foundation for this hope and future. We feel that just as important as the service to the poor is, so too is our individual need to serve God's poor. We offer an opportunity for the local community to do just that. As Jesus said, "Come. You have my Father's blessing! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me . I was ill and you comforted me, in prison and you came to visit me." Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen is a non-profit corporation. All donations are tax deductible. We need your help to continue serving those in need. A copy of the official registration and financial information may be obtained from the division of consumer services by calling toll free 1-800-435-7352 within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval or recommendation by the state. If you would like to make a financial gift, Donate Online or send your check to: OUR STAFFLoaves & Fishes Soup Kitchen is blessed with an incredible staff as well as many volunteers who make up this great organization.
KITCHENLoaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen serves approximately 4,600 meals to the homeless each month. A hot breakfast is served at 7:00am, Monday through Friday, lunch is served on Saturday at 11:30am and dinner is served on Sunday, Monday and Wednesday evenings at 5pm. In addition to these meals, we also serve lunch and dinner to our emergency shelter families seven days a week. Much of the food that is served has been donated from the community. Food is picked up by Loaves and Fishes daily (and as needed) from local stores, bakeries, produce companies, food suppliers and others. Individuals and organizations donate prepared foods, canned goods, meats, fish and produce. Because of these faithful donations, Loaves and Fishes is able to supply ample high quality, nutritious meals to those in need. Throughout the week different volunteer crews prepare and serve meals to the public and to our shelter families. Volunteers are the heartbeat of the kitchen and because of their dedication to "the least of these" we are able to serve many men, women and children in need. Please pray that God will continue to bless us as we serve Him
SHELTEREMERGENCY FAMILY SHELTERLoaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen opened its Emergency Family Shelter to house families on a temporary basis in May 1991. We provide one week of emergency shelter for 10 families. We also offer an Extended Stay Shelter Program, in which Emergency Shelter Residents are selected to stay in our shelter for up to 90 days. Loaves and Fishes Emergency Family Shelter Program/Extended Stay Shelter Program includes private rooms, cafeteria style meals, parenting classes, life skills classes, counseling, clothing vouchers, diapers, items for personal hygiene, and referrals to supporting agencies Our shelter has a full-time case manager who does individual case management. Our staff is invaluable in supporting, encouraging and assisting families who are under extreme stress and trying to make important decisions regarding the future of their family. Each family is given intensive social work with regard to goal planning, financial planning, employment skills, educational opportunities, counseling and parenting. Additionally, the program can offer limited assistance with medical care, transportation, clothing vouchers, and referrals to appropriate community resources. Families are also ministered to spiritually in terms of their Church affiliation. Visiting church representatives from Churches who support this program offer our program families much needed support. HOUSINGFAMILY HOUSING PROGRAMWhat Is It? The Family Housing Program is a joint Christian effort of area churches and individuals teaming up with Loaves and Fishes FHP staff in order to help homeless families with children by providing a furnished home and supportive services. Families in FHP are evaluated each year for program eligibility. There is no limit to their stay in the home if program requirements are followed, and program goals are achieved. Who Refers The Family To The Program? Our referrals come from Loaves and Fishes Emergency Family Shelter. When a vacancy occurs in one of our homes, potential families are interviewed and evaluated for eligibility as candidates for this program. What Is Offered To The Families? Each family is given intensive social work with special emphases on goal planning, financial planning, employment skills, educational opportunities, counseling and parenting. Additionally, the program can offer assistance with medical care, transportation, clothing vouchers, and referrals to appropriate community resources. Families are also ministered to physically and spiritually. Visiting representatives from churches supporting the FHP offer the families much needed encouragement and care. Who Supports The Home? Area churches link arms to support the households both monetarily and spiritually. They contribute $150-$200 per month to help supplement expenses such as food, transportation, utilities, telephones, maintenance, staff, office expenses, taxes and insurance. The more churches committed to helping the FHP, the more families we can assist. Each church names a representative or mentor who visits and ministers to an individual family. The representative is invited to periodic joint meetings with other church representatives. The representatives receive periodic reports from the FHP regarding program updates and updates on their individual family, which they can then share with their church congregations. How Many Homes Are In Operation Now? We currently have 14 churches of all mainline Christian denominations participating and supporting 11 homes: 2 in Santa Rosa County and 9 in Escambia County. WE WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU ALLCharity Chapel Christian Life Church First Assembly First Baptist (Samaritan Hands) First Presbyterian First UMC Olive Baptist St. Ann Gulf Breeze St. Christopher Trinity Presbyterian Ferry Pass Baptist McIlwain Memorial Presbyterian Christ Church Jubilee Christian Church THRIFT STORELOAVES AND FISHES THRIFT STORE"I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did it for me!" Matthew 25:40 Loaves & Fishes Thrift Store, located at 1620 N. Palafox St. is open six days a week for your shopping convenience. Our store hours are from 10:30am to 5:30pm Mon-Fri and 9:00am to 3:00pm on Saturday. We're closed on Sunday. The Thrift Store provides great low cost clothing, furniture, household goods, and appliances. Our prices are kept very reasonable as to give all an opportunity to afford fashionable quality clothing. You will find that our store is well organized for the ease of shopping. We carry New Furniture and New Mattresses that are purchased at affordable rates, so we can pass the savings on to our customers. We also sell quality used clothing as well as under garments, socks, and accessories for the entire family at great savings. All proceeds from our sales go to support the ministry of feeding, sheltering, and teaching homeless men, women and children. We offer free clothing to our Shelter Guests and those in our Transitional Housing Program. We work with local agencies, ministries, and others such as Jail Release, Fire Victims, and Job Seekers to provide clothing for those in need. Those who use our soup line are also able to access needed clothing by working around the ministry to get assistance vouchers. Volunteers are very important to our ministry at the Thrift Store! Volunteers are always needed and very much appreciated! They help us sort, stock, straighten, greet and help customers with their needs! We always need donations! Please send us your gently used clothing, furniture, appliances, household items, kitchen items, small appliances, rugs, linens and toys. We can make good use of anything you have in good condition! Please call us and we will be happy to schedule a pickup of your larger items! Call us at 850-438-4166. Thank you for any help you can offer us. Pray for us as we go about serving the least of the brethren. God bless you for all that you do in His name! LIVING WELL"Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." Proverbs 22:6 The Living Well is the Parent Child Center of Loaves and Fishes Soup Kitchen. Our focus is education and entertainment. Children staying in the shelter are offered tutoring and homework help, and after, free play. Seasonal children's camps are offered at Fall, Christmas and Summer breaks. Living Well instructors conduct parenting classes in the Escambia County Jail. Parenting guidance is offered one on one upon request. |