It just walked in the door...

On June 29, "Team Depot," a group of store associates under the direction of the Home Depot Foundation, came to the Maplewood Center to put in a full day of landscaping and other external improvements. Their efforts were greatly appreciated, and, as good hosts, we offered to serve them lunch.

The City Rescue Mission of Lansing serves two meals every day to the general public; this means that anyone in need can get a good meal at no cost to them. Our food pantry, which provides the raw materials for those meals, is stocked by the generosity of donors. The meals are prepared by our kitchen staff, no more than two of whom are together to work on meal preparation at any one time. It can be challenging, especially when you discover that you will be more than doubling the number of meals you have to prepare for lunch that day.

Just what are you going to feed everybody?

We don't always know, but we do know that the need will be met. On this particular day, a catered event had more food than they needed. Quite a bit more food.

When our executive director asked Keith, on duty that day, what he was going to send over to Maplewood for lunch, he replied, "It just came in the door."

We are so grateful to the event coordinator for giving this food to the Mission, and we are grateful to the Provider who saw this need and made sure it was met. It is doubtful that the store associates fully realized that when they came to be a blessing to the Mission and to those we serve, they were being blessed in return, by getting a true taste of Mission Manna.