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Mobile Loaves and FishesNice story in today’s Austin American-Statesman about local charity Mobile Loaves and Fishes heading to Houston to help out:

They’ve got 700 ham and turkey sandwiches, dozens of hard-boiled eggs, bags of chips and ice, gallons of fuel and bottled water, along with several volunteers for Mobile Loaves and Fishes.

The organization was one of the first on the scene after Hurricane Katrina. The mission today? Journey toward Houston and the coast and find those most in need. “Wherever the Lord takes us,” explains Bob Ford, a Mobile Loaves and Fishes staff member who attends Redeemer Lutheran Church in Austin.

[snip]

Along with delivering sandwiches, fuel and ice, this is primarily a reconnaissance mission to learn the scope of the situation that Hurricane Ike wrought before bringing in a full-scale relief effort complete with a kitchen and trucks making trips back to Austin to refuel, Ford said. “We’ll locate a spot to come back in a couple days and set up a full commissary.”

I see the Mobile Loaves and Fishes trucks around Austin all the time. They’re a wonderful faith-based charity doing great things in our community.

They’re mission “to provide food, clothing, and dignity to our brothers and sisters in need.   We accomplish this mission through the use of 12 catering trucks that go out onto the city streets of Austin, San Antonio, New Orleans, Providence, and Nashville every night of the week, thanks to the hard work of our almost 10,000 volunteers and a single supply truck.”

I think that MLF is a perfect example of how faith-based, private charity is the best answer to helping our needy citizens…not the government and government programs.

Feeding hungry people — I don’t think there is much more important work or charity than that. I just sent the donation I was about to send to the Travis County Republican Party to MLF instead.

If you’re looking for a really good charity doing outstanding community work to donate to — please consider donating to Mobile Loaves and Fishes.

4 Responses to “Mobile Loaves and Fishes — Hurricane Ike Mission”

Good to know there is a group like this, and it makes me wonder just how many groups are there like this?
I’ve been a contributor to the Texas Baptist Men for some time, and they do much the same as Mobile Loaves and Fishes, but on a larger scale.
They were in Asia helping after the big Tsunami a few years ago, and have a unit in Georgia feeding people that were made refugees by Russia.
There was a time when charitable groups took care of our own with little or no government involvement whatsoever, and it really wasn’t that long ago.

My wife volunteers with MLF downtown every month. We even have our teenage boy go with her so he keeps Life somewhat in perspective. They’re an outstanding group and deserve more recognition.

Thanks brother for the plug. I agree that we can’t rely on the guvment. It belongs to the people to do. Love to met you sometime!

Alan

Thanks for the great blog about Mobile Loaves & Fishes. I work for MLF as the Development Director and was also thrilled to see the great coverage on yesterday’s trip in the Statesman. It seems that the Government agencies and the first responders were prepared for this hurricane, but it was time that we got in there to do what we do best….that grassroots, hand to hand, person to person contact. Our volunteers served food, ice, and toiletries….but these were merely the vehicle in which we could connect with the people and provide a little love and compassion. Thanks for your mention of MLF and our mission. We are planning a second trip into the damaged area. If anyone wants to help or learn more about our relief efforts they can visit http://www.mlfnow.org/blog.

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