Agency Story

Greensburg Community Bread of Life opened on August 19, 2002. The first month we were open we served 13 meals. After more than seven years of serving those in need, we are now serving between 1600-1800 meals a month still just being open Mondays and Wednesdays. Since opening, Bread of Life has served 86,202 meals. We could not do it without the amazing support of our community and the willingness to help from our 400 volunteers
The soup kitchen not only provides a free nutritious meal to those in need, we build relationships with the patrons. We offer a friendly safe haven free of judgment. The staff and volunteers understand that some circumstances may be out of the patron’s control, while others are from poor choices. We want to build up our patrons so that they will want to help themselves.
Here are a few incidences in which we were not only able to fill their tummies; we put a smile on their face. We had a couple use our services for a few months after he became unemployed. The husband became employed so his wife washed dishes. After no longer needing our services, they wanted to give back to our mission. We also had another couple with a young boy. They gave back by hoeing the garden, taking out the trash and sweeping the floor. The last story is of a mom with three small children. She came to our doors crying that her boyfriend had just stolen everything out of their house, leaving her with no food or money. We were able to feed all of them and give them a safe environment.
Along with being an advocate to relieve hunger, we educate the community on food rescue. Food rescue allows us to use perfectly safe food that would otherwise be thrown away into our landfills. Food can only be accepted from approved kitchens such as restaurants, groceries, lockers and catered meals. Food cannot be rescued if it has been out in front of the public as in a buffet style or prepared in someone’s home. In the last seven years, we have received/rescued 285,778 pounds. All donors are protected from any liability with the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act which was approved in October of 1996.
We are being utilized in this community and are blessed everyday by serving the hungry. We are appreciative of how accepting Greensburg and the surrounding communities have been to help serve those in need. God is allowing us to work together as a community to feed the hungry.