By LOIS KINDLE
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’s homeless residents.
“We 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,” said lay minister Julene Fazio, team leader of Picnic in the Park. “When we’re feeding and clothing the homeless and less fortunate among us, we’re the hands and feet of Christ.”
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.
The team also hands out goodie bags of nonperishable foods that can be eaten without cooking, along with bottles of water.
One volunteer likes to distribute fresh fruit.
Picnic in the Park is an outreach rooted in compassion, a ministry modeled on serving others as Jesus did.
“We’re building relationships and living out our faith,” said The Rev. Tom Emigh. “We 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.”
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).
Normally between 15 and 18 homeless individuals turn out—during Thanksgiving week, the number rose to 22 last year.
The volunteer team always brings enough food for 30, ensuring there’s enough for seconds or something to take home.
“Most of our core attendees have ties to Ruskin. They either grew up or have family living here,” Emigh said. “They usually have some sort of emotional, mental or drug-related issue. A few are transient.”
Since the church has its own pre-school and VPK, it has to be careful about having vulnerable adults on site—and some people are simply uncomfortable coming to a church building. That’s why the outreach takes place at Commongood Park in Ruskin—a neutral, public place, where everyone feels welcome.
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. “We’re building relationships and living out our faith,” he said. “We 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.”
At Christmas, the church’s men’s 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.
Additional volunteers or another church or organization with a heart to serve are always welcome.
“What [we] do makes a difference by being the face that brings these people food,” Emigh said. They know they can count on us. It’s very uplifting.”
Ruskin Methodist Church is at 105 4th Ave. NW. For more information, visit https://ruskinmc.org/ or its Facebook page, email church@ruskinmc.org or call (813) 645-1241.