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<\/p>\nBy LOIS KINDLE<\/p>\n
Every first and second Monday of the month, a small, faithful group of Ruskin Methodist Church volunteers gathers at Commongood Park with one purpose: to offer sustenance to the community\u2019s homeless residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe prepare and bring food, clothing and hygiene items and take time to greet each of them, listen if they want to talk and create a stress-free environment to meet their emotional and nutritional needs,\u201d said lay minister Julene Fazio, team leader of Picnic in the Park. \u201cWhen we\u2019re feeding and clothing the homeless and less fortunate among us, we\u2019re the hands and feet of Christ.\u201d<\/p>\n
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A Ruskin Methodist Church Picnic in the Park volunteer packs hot food and other items in a backpack for a homeless resident of the community. Most of the people who attend the Monday gatherings have ties to Ruskin. They either grew up or have family members living here.<\/p>\n
The team also hands out goodie bags of nonperishable foods that can be eaten without cooking, along with bottles of water.<\/p>\n
One volunteer likes to distribute fresh fruit.<\/p>\n
Picnic in the Park is an outreach rooted in compassion, a ministry modeled on serving others as Jesus did.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re building relationships and living out our faith,\u201d said The Rev. Tom Emigh. \u201cWe want these people to know we see them and care about their individual situations. We actually sit down and break bread with them. There is never any judgment involved.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ruskin Methodist Church launched the outreach two and a half years ago. The effort currently involves South Shore United Methodist Church on the third Monday of the month and an anonymous local business on the fourth and fifth Monday (when there is one).<\/p>\n
Normally between 15 and 18 homeless individuals turn out\u2014during Thanksgiving week, the number rose to 22 last year.<\/p>\n
The volunteer team always brings enough food for 30, ensuring there\u2019s enough for seconds or something to take home.<\/p>\n
\u201cMost of our core attendees have ties to Ruskin. They either grew up or have family living here,\u201d Emigh said. \u201cThey usually have some sort of emotional, mental or drug-related issue. A few are transient.\u201d<\/p>\n
Since the church has its own pre-school and VPK, it has to be careful about having vulnerable adults on site\u2014and some people are simply uncomfortable coming to a church building. That\u2019s why the outreach takes place at Commongood Park in Ruskin\u2014a neutral, public place, where everyone feels welcome.<\/p>\n
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KAY EMIGH PHOTOS
The Rev. Tom Emigh, pastor of Ruskin Methodist Church, right, eats with a homeless man along the Ruskin Inlet at Commongood Park during a Monday evening Picnic in the Park event. \u201cWe\u2019re building relationships and living out our faith,\u201d he said. \u201cWe want these people to know we see them and care about their individual situations. We actually sit down and break bread with them. There is never any judgment involved.\u201d<\/p>\n
At Christmas, the church\u2019s men\u2019s group gets involved and contributes tents and tarps, sleeping bags, blankets, hats, gloves, toiletries and first-aid kits. The outreach is adding a Christmas in July effort this year, after receiving several requests for tents last summer and having none to give.<\/p>\n
Additional volunteers or another church or organization with a heart to serve are always welcome.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat [we] do makes a difference by being the face that brings these people food,\u201d Emigh said. They know they can count on us. It\u2019s very uplifting.\u201d<\/p>\n