Every Tuesday, neighbors gather at Greenhouse Project’s Food Outreach outside our 44House headquarters.

Some come because they are facing food insecurity. Some come carrying burdens no one else can see. Some come because they have learned that this is a place where they will be met with kindness, consistency, and dignity.

At one point when logistics were manageable, we had a second Food Outreach location running on the block of our West Side house location to reach more neighbors and build relationships.

It was here that we met Mr. Charles.

Like most others in the community, Mr. Charles came for food at first — but found something far greater.

Mr. Charles is an older gentleman, a veteran, and a has become a cheerful fixture at Food Outreach. Week after week, he would be outside waiting in his wheelchair on the corner of our 912House block, a familiar face to the volunteers who had come to know him over time.

Among those volunteers were Bill and Mary Lou Baratta.

We’ve featured their volunteer story in the past, and something that makes their story even more beautiful is that they almost didn’t start serving at Food Outreach at all. They wondered on the drive to their first time if they should turn around!

But after their first experience, they quickly fell in love with the atmosphere at Food Outreach.

They saw that this ministry was about so much more than handing out groceries.

It is about people. Relationships. And the power of showing up consistently enough for trust to grow.

And with Mr. Charles, that’s exactly what happened.

Over time, Mary Lou built a warm, supportive friendship with him. It wasn’t rushed or forced. She simply kept showing up, remembering him, talking with him, praying with him, and taking a real interest in his life.

This kind of faithful presence matters more than we often realize.

As their relationship deepened, spiritual conversations began to unfold. Mr. Charles would say that he grew up in a Christian home. He knew about God. His mother loved the Lord. But somewhere along the way, he had come to see faith mainly as a matter of rules.

Then came a shift.

Through honest conversation and gospel truth, Mary Lou helped Mr. Charles see something deeper: that salvation is not about what we do for Christ, but about what Christ has done for us. That faith is not just religion or rule-keeping. It is a relationship with the living God made possible through Jesus.

And one day, standing right there in the context of this humble weekly outreach, Mary Lou asked Mr. Charles if he wanted to pray with her to receive Jesus. He did!

That moment did not happen because of a stage, a spotlight, or a polished event.

It happened because faithful people kept showing up to an honest gathering. God used volunteers who took time to notice one man’s story. Food opened the door, and love stayed long enough to speak truth.

The deeper heartbeat of Food Outreach

Yes, every week Greenhouse Project helps provide thousands of pounds of food to neighbors facing food scarcity, economic hardship, joblessness, caregiving stress, and other difficult realities.

But Food Outreach has never been only about meeting physical hunger.

It is also a place where:

relationships are built
prayers are offered
people are remembered
burdens are shared
and the gospel is lived and spoken in real time.

Mr. Charles’ story is a powerful reminder that ministry often grows in simple, steady moments.

A conversation on a street corner.

A familiar volunteer face.

A prayer offered sincerely.

A truth explained patiently.

A person feeling seen enough to open their heart.

That is what Feed the Faith is all about.

When you support this campaign, you help Greenhouse Project continue this weekly ministry in 2026 — covering the real, practical costs that make Food Outreach possible, including food, truck rental, drivers, fuel, and supplies.

But your gift also helps sustain the ministry moments that cannot be measured in pounds or pallets alone.

Because behind every bag of groceries is a person.
Behind every regular face is a story.
And sometimes, as in Mr. Charles’ case, that story leads all the way to new life in Christ.

Help us Feed the Faith to More Neighbors Like Mr Charles

Today, you can help keep Feed the Faith running in 2026 with a gift towards our $35,000 goal.

Your gift helps keep this lifeline of nourishment, prayer, compassion, and gospel hope going strong for neighbors like Mr. Charles. Will you help us Feed the Faith today?