Thursday, July 5, 2012

At Mercy Church in San Luis Obispo, members feed the hungry

“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.” – Matthew 25: 35

Mercy Church Image Credit: sacredoutfitter.blogspot.com

At Mercy Church in San Luis Obispo, members gather together every second Tuesday of the month to distribute food to the disadvantaged members of the community. For the members of Mercy Church SLO, this is their way of reaching out to the less privileged members of their community.

Mercy Church Image Credit: plus.google.com

The California-based church works together with the organization Feeding America in operating the monthly food bank. Feeding America is one of the leading hunger-relief charities in the United States. The organization’s mission is to feed America’s hungry citizens through a nationwide network of member food banks and to engage the country in the fight to end hunger. For Mercy Church in San Luis Obispo, feeding the hungry is a manifestation of Jesus’ love for the poor.

Although the United States is seen as the land of plenty, for 1 in 6 people in the country, hunger is a reality. In 2010, 48.8 million Americans lived in food-insecure households. Of this number, 16.2 million are children, with the states of District of Columbia, Oregon, Arizona, Arkansas, and, Texas registering high number of kids living in food-insecure households. Moreover, 20% or more of the child population in 40 states live in food-insecure households.


Mercy Church Image Credit: pomeroym.edu.glogster.com 

Millions of children and adults in America go hungry every day. For Mercy Church in San Luis Obispo, feeding the hungry is not only about giving them physical sustenance; it is also about nourishing their souls.

For more information about the church’s outreach program, visit www.mercychurch.com.