A helping hand

We all have a story. Where was I born? Where did I grow up? What skills do I have? Am I in good health? Where do I live now? Am I close with my family? How do I pay my bills? How did I end up here? Depending on your answers to these questions, and so many more, your story may be very different from mine. Today however, I choose to wonder about their story. Each face in this picture above represents a different story. On the third Friday of the month as we load up the back of the car with tables & an assortment of food items, we think of the faces we will see over the next few hours. Some of the folks in line will be talkative, some will not. Some may be loud, and some may not make a peep. Some of them may be alone, and some may be there with family. Some may have a pet with them in a backpack or stroller. But one thing is always true, they will be kind, and they will be thankful.

A number of years ago my church youth group attended our first Street Soldiers night in Albany at Academy Park. Back then they set up at the park every Friday night. Folks from all around the area would bring a table or two and fill it up with items they had collected to share. There were tables full of food, toiletries and clothing and a long line of neighbors in need waiting to see what they could gather for the week ahead. Now fast forward to 2025, and this event is held just once a month. Now our neighbors bring a rolling cart and a few extra bags to gather up what they can for the whole month. They are still so very thankful. One table is handing out hotdogs, all cooked and ready to eat. Another table has bagged lunches, and another has pet food & hot meatball subs. A young girl has collected purses and tote bags and filled them up with haircare items and another has hot coffee. Our table usually has cans of Vienna sausages, Gatorade, pudding cups, chunky soup , canned chicken, breads, bagels, fruits, veggies and something sweet.

For one night a month, for one hour, our stories all intersect. We do our best to help those in need, and they are thankful. We thank our Veterans for their service, and they smile. We make eye contact and give a heartfelt hello to each of our neighbors in line, and they are seen. We hand out all that we've brought and then we pack up ourselves and our tables and head for home. We know that in another 30 days we'll be back again to do it all once more. Doing what we can, when we can, with what our Lord has blessed us with, and we are thankful.

Now this is something you all can do. You can pack up your car too and put up a table and head up to Academy Park on the 3rd Friday of the month! This is a grass roots group of volunteers who just show up when able. Some of them have been there every single night since Street Soldiers started & some just come when they can. Some of our members at church participate by buying the items we hand out, and you can do that too. If you want to be a part of this mission to those in need but can't make the trip to Albany, you are welcome to drop off some of the items highlighted above to help fill our table!

Helping neighbors + meeting needs = Thankfulness all around!