A Shreveport charity that serves thousands of hot meals a year in the Ledbetter Heights neighborhood is moving two miles away where it will join 12 nonprofits to provide services to homeless people.
Christian Service’s Hospitality House was founded in 1970. The agency is raising $500,000 to convert a warehouse into a dining facility, according to board president Jane Snyder. She says Christian Service will no longer provide transitional housing, a decision that was carefully considered by its board.
“There are other organizations in Shreveport that are experts in housing people,” Snyder said. “We’re going to let them do what they are best at doing and we’re going to do what we’re best at doing. And nobody likes change.”
Christian Service provides breakfast and a late lunch to anyone who is hungry, no questions asked. Meals are served every day except on Christmas.
The idea of putting services for homeless in one location is not new. But when Christian Service was invited to head up the meal service at the new Hope Connections, according to Snyder, it was an invitation to expand its reach and challenge its cooks.
“Those cooks are able to take whatever has been donated, and combine it with food they get from the food bank and other places. There are grocery stores that donate fruits and vegetables. The cooks whip up these warm meals,” Snyder said.
Snyder expects that remodeling of the 10,000 square-foot warehouse will begin by summer.
Christian Service is one of 77 nonprofits participating in next month’s Give for Good Day, an online donation drive set for May 6.
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