For the past few years, every time First Cumberland Presbyterian Church has served a meal at the Loaves and Fishes of Lowndes County, Sharon McBryde was with them.
But after Sharon passed away in November, her husband, Lindy McBryde, decided he wanted to do something to support the ministry his wife loved. On Tuesday, Lindy followed through on that desire, donating $5,000 and a pallet of water to the soup kitchen.
“My wife has been part of this ministry a long time, and even having been battling breast cancer the last five years – even through her breast cancer, she still found a way to come down here and volunteer,” Lindy said. “So I’m doing this donation in honor of her memory, because of her participation in this ministry and to further the progress of this ministry.”
Lindy’s donation also comes with a challenge to others. Lindy is the owner of Cash and Carry Building Supply, and he asked other businesses to consider donations of any size they could make to help the soup kitchen. Lindy’s donation included the pallet of water along with the monetary donation, he said, as it is something he typically keeps around for contractors, but that he knows the soup kitchen always needs to have on hand.
“Everything this ministry can use goes a long way,” Lindy said.
Loaves and Fishes is a nonprofit that serves hot meals to those in need from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays at 223 22nd St. N.
About 20 churches currently rotate to serve meals at the kitchen, Loaves and Fishes volunteer Vice President and Operations Manager Steve Greenough told The Dispatch. That includes First Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which joined the Loaves and Fishes rotation about three years ago, according to Pastor Luke Lawson.
However, the soup kitchen’s ministry goes further back. The group started serving meals in 2008 initially serving a sit-down meal a few days a week, Greenough said.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the soup kitchen transitioned to serving to-go meals. But the way the group serves meals is not the only thing that has changed over the past few years.
“Loaves and Fishes has grown from… in 2020 we had 27,000 meals, in 2021, 44,000 meals, 2022, 67,000 meals and in 2023, 82,000 meals, and the same last year,” Greenough told The Dispatch.
As Loaves and Fishes has been keeping up with the rising demand, Greenough said the group has also struggled with rising costs of rent, electricity, to-go plates and other supplies they need to serve meals every day. Still, the group intends to push its mission even further in the future, Greenough said.
“Each year we’ve grown, and now we’re at the point where every day, Monday to Saturday, is filled with a church or an organization or a group that are serving,” Greenough said. “So our next challenge as a Loaves and Fishes community is to grow into Sundays so we can feed 365 days of the year. Because people are hungry every day.”
Greenough said businesses act as the “lifeblood” of the ministry, since businesses like Walmart and Chick-Fil-a often donate food served by churches at the soup kitchen when the churches cannot provide a meal themselves. However, that also means when a supporting business closes – like the Columbus Bargain Hunt slated to close in March – Loaves and Fishes feels the loss keenly.
Having a business owner like McBryde step up, Greenough said, and challenge other businesses to do the same, will help the ministry to keep going.
“Unfortunately, because of our success, we’re in the red every month, and our capital fund is being shrunk every month,” Greenough said. “So as long as we’re in the black, we can keep this program going. So, any donations that we get will help us to put our reserve funds back into place and keep us on an even keel on a monthly basis.”
For more information on Loaves and Fishes of Lowndes County, visit loavesandfishesoflowndescounty.com/.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 34 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
