Shepherd's Table plea brings outpouring of support in Raleigh
Leaders of the Shepherds Table food ministry in downtown Raleigh are thankful for an overwhelming response to their plea for help. It came after a WRAL story highlighting the ministry's decline in volunteers and donations largely due to the impact of Covid-19.
Posted — UpdatedThe pandemic led to an increasing demand for hot meals that staff and volunteers have provided for the hungry over the course of more than 40 years.
Executive Director Tammy Gregory said Shepherd's Table has seen a greater number of homeless as well as people who have been laid off from their jobs. Her plea for help to WRAL viewers was answered by a wave of phone calls, e-mails and donations.
Kitchen Manager Michael K. Smith said, "Since that happened, we’re getting donations, people want to volunteer more. Yeah, that was a blessing in disguise."
Gregory agreed, "It’s overwhelming. It’s hard to express the gratitude and the kindness that people are showing us right now that they know we’re in need."
She says they’ve received more than 400 e-mailed donations since Sept. 11 when the story first aired.
"Some of the e-mails I got, they were so touching, they brought me to tears," said Gregory, visibly emotional.
For example, she pointed to one e-mail with a $100 donation. The donors gave the money in the name of a couple married for 48 years "who died recently holding hands after a battle with COVID-19."
Another donation came with $25 "in honor of humanity and our growing needs of this time."
Yet another donation came with the message, "I lost my job and I ate at your program for almost three months, and now I have a job. Here’s $10. It’s what I can give."
John and Nancy Kenney dropped by the Shepherd's Table kitchen in person to offer their financial support with a check. "We felt like we needed to come down and help do our little bit," said Nancy Kenney. The couple said they and their children have been involved with volunteering at the ministry in the past. The story was a reminder that they needed to continue their support.
Gregory says her largely volunteer crew were thrilled by the flood of encouraging donations, messages and promise of more volunteer support. "There is a pep in everyone’s step knowing that we’ve got some money coming in. People know about us now. We have a lot of inquiries on volunteers," said Gregory.
She hopes the support will be long term. "Remember us in the future too, which is nice too, because we serve 364 days a year," Gregory said.
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