A Christmas Miracle!

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2011

A Christmas Miracle!
How on earth can we pull this off? That is the question that has come to mind repeatedly in the past nine months as the idea of a mobile soup kitchen went from its conception, through its infancy, to taking its first tentative steps. The fact that God had made His will known to create this service for those who were hungry was never doubted, but 'how' to do it was never neatly typed and packaged and sent to my doorstep. The only food service I'd ever been involved with was my short-lived employment at Braums more years ago than I care to disclose. I was out of my element. Setting up the foundation of a nonprofit organization, with its rules and regulations, was slow and tedious. Getting the word out to our community was more exciting, but this was also new territory for me. I stumbled as many times as I forged ahead. Two steps forward, one step back.
What would make the most notable difference of this new venture would be its mobility. Basically, we had to become a restaurant on wheels to reach out to those in need where they were. But how could we get a box truck to take food, tables and equipment where we were needed? The thousands of dollars required to buy even an old truck could not be found in our newly-formed bank account, and 14-foot trucks don't just fall out of the sky. It was the most basic, integral necessity that seemed to allude us. Months ago, I would drive by a restaurant in town which is now closed and see the exact-type truck we needed parked out front. "Okay God," I'd say as I drove by, "If you want us to do this, you're going to have to somehow get us a truck just like that." In the meantime we would make do by joining other nonprofits at their site and take what food we could carry in the back of my SUV.
In November I met LouWauna Obert, a woman who had just started a business called FerGodwear that sells Christian-themed t-shirts. She had found our website and wanted to donate a portion of her first-month's sales to AT THE TABLE. I was thrilled at her generosity, but had no idea at the time how far-reaching her involvement with our organization would be. She had been invited to speak at the Bentonville Lion's Club to promote FerGodwear and talk about her desire to give back to the community with every shirt sold. The needs of AT THE TABLE came up in the presentation…including the need for a truck. "We have a truck," they told her, "it's currently sitting idle because the restaurant we let use it is out of business." The truck that the Lion's Club is willing to let AT THE TABLE use (at no cost) is the very same truck I drove by months ago. The Lion's Club explained that the truck is not in tip-top shape, and it may need a little work. No problem…LouWauna's husband just happens to be a diesel mechanic!
I started this story with the question 'how on earth do we pull this off', but the answers and the details are not on earth. They are kept and managed in heaven and carried through on a timeline that is not our own. A place where all that is needed to do God's work is provided…and a place where trucks do fall from the sky.

Lori Gamradt, President
AT THE TABLE, Inc.

Welcome!

Welcome to the first official post of AT THE TABLE! We are very excited to finally launch this non-profit in Northwest Arkansas...it has been a long time coming. Hunger is great in our area and we hope to bring awareness and opportunities to serve to our community. 


Here is our Charter Board at our first event in April 2011:

L-R

Stephenie, Kathy, Lori & Angela