Bart Standish
Phoenix, Arizona
Each week, the Love Peace Harmony World Family Members in Phoenix volunteer at André House of Hospitality to offer Saturday dinner to the homeless and poor. They work together with other volunteers to prepare the meal from scratch, serve, and clean up after. On average they serve approximately 550 beloved ones in need of nourishment each evening.
Offering of this kind of unconditional universal service at André House truly brings inner joy and peace. To see the gratitude of those who would otherwise have no possibility of a meal is truly heart warming. The volunteers are tired but very happy at the end of the evening!
Many thanks to the Love Peace Harmony World Family members: Bart Standish, Marjorie Rosenmen, Annmarie Grant, Brianna O’Grady, Tina He, and Divina Flamingarrow.
About André House
In 1984, at the beginning of André House of Hospitality, a small group of people gathered to share coffee, bread, and a bowl of soup. At first the soup was prepared outside on a makeshift table behind a house. Each evening volunteers would bring a huge pot of soup to the train tracks in downtown Phoenix and feed as many as possible. A few things have changed in the 25 plus years, yet we remember that tradition as we prepare the meal at our Hospitality Center each evening.
At André House they work hard at creating a welcoming and personal atmosphere in the same way they would for a family dinner. The people they serve are truly their guests, their neighbors, and their friends. They have a large main dining room that accommodates approximately 150 guests and a smaller dining room for families and people with special needs.
They prepare each meal from scratch. Fresh vegetables from the food bank, fresh bread donated by a bakery, and 40 pounds of frozen ground beef serves as the base for most meals.
The André House is a ministry of trust, respect, and non-violence. The homeless and poor who come are treated as valued guests. There are no security guards or police officers in the building and there are rarely any problems. André House also provides shower services, laundry service, a clothing closet, legal services, and more for the guests.
The post André House: Dinner Service for the Homeless and Poor appeared first on Love Peace Harmony.
