Wayside Christian Mission is aware of the many people experiencing homelessness in our community outside our own four walls, and we strive to reach out to these folks as well in several ways.
Mobile Feeding Van
With the rise in numbers of people living on the streets, Wayside Christian Mission implemented a mobile feeding program to ensure these unsheltered folks have good nutrition.
The mobile feeding van can be found serving breakfast outside St. John Day Center each morning from 7:00 - 8:00 AM. Folks can get lunch at the mobile feeding van outside Jefferson Street Baptist Community at Liberty from 11:30 AM until Noon, and also outside St. John Day Center from 12:15 PM to 1 PM.
Supper is served from the mobile feeding van outside Jefferson Street Baptist Community at Liberty from 4:30 - 5:30 PM. Meals are always free from our mobile feeding program. Donations of packaged food, desserts, food containers, napkins, etc., are always welcome to support this ministry.
Samaritan Patrol
While living on the streets is never safe, the weather sometimes makes such conditions life-threatening. Many of those experiencing homelessness and living on the streets suffer from chronic health conditions which are exacerbated by the extreme hot and cold temperatures.
Many suffer from various respiratory ailments, heart conditions, and extremely poor health in general. Since 1988, Wayside Christian Mission volunteers have operated the Samaritan Patrol, scouring areas where people may be sleeping out and trying to survive freezing temperatures or sweltering heat.
The Patrol greets these folks and encourages them to come into the Mission. For those who refuse to come in, the Patrol also carries a variety of supplies that are freely distributed, such as food and drink, blankets, warm socks, etc.
Wayside Christian Mission welcomes donations of goods to take on the Samaritan Patrol, and also seeks volunteers to assist in this endeavor. Volunteers are fully trained before embarking on the Patrol alone.
Home Again Program
In some cases, people living on the streets have absolutely no one locally to turn to for assistance, although they do have family members in other cities or states who want to help them.
In many cases, people came to Louisville seeking employment or other opportunities that didn’t materialize and now find themselves stuck here with no support system. To remedy this problem, Wayside Christian Mission implemented the Home Again Program, whereby we will transport folks up to 500 miles one way in order to return them to their families. This program is accessed through a referral from any agency’s case managers.
Upon referral, Wayside Christian Mission’s case manager will call the family member to confirm that they will welcome back the client and help them become established. Once confirmed with a family member, transportation is scheduled.
Wayside Christian Mission provides door to door service making sure the client connects with their family before leaving them behind.
Clothing and Household Goods
When available through donations from the community, Wayside Christian Mission freely provides needed clothing, furniture and household goods for clients referred by case managers or churches/ministries in the community.
To access this outreach, case managers should call 502-584-3711, and provide their client a letter on company stationery detailing what is needed. Wayside Christian Mission will share its resources when available.
Holiday Assistance
Most people anticipate the Christmas season with child-like excitement, but for families in the community with few resources, the holidays are anything but happy. Wayside Christian Mission reaches out to the less fortunate by allowing them to sign up for holiday assistance through its Miracle on Broadway program.
Throughout the month of November each year, Monday through Saturday from 8 AM to 4 PM, parents in need can come to our shelter at the corner of Jackson and Jefferson Streets in Louisville, and fill out a brief application for assistance. They must bring with them a picture ID, their social security number, and proof of each child in their household. Wayside Christian Mission will schedule the parent for a free shopping trip through its Miracle on Broadway Christmas shop, located within Hotel Louisville at Second and Broadway.
The parent will select toys, stocking stuffers, games, gloves and clothing articles, personal hygiene items, and a food basket at the free store. Upon completion of shopping, volunteers are on hand to wrap the gifts. Wayside Christian Mission welcomes volunteers to assist in this endeavor, as well as donations of all the above items to stock the free store. Canned and boxed goods are always needed for food baskets.
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