In 2002, Richard Hayes of Carbondale, Illinois founded a community kitchen with a goal of feeding the unhoused and food insecure population in his community. 22 years later, Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church and its network of volunteers are still working to make a positive impact in the community while keeping up with the level of need. Feed My Sheep Community Kitchen assists in meeting the needs of those who walk through its doors by serving noon meals to the public every weekday, free of cost.
National trends outlined in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Household Food Security Report show that the percentage of households experiencing food insecurity across the country has been steadily rising over the last few years, from 10.5% in 2020, to 13.5% in 2023. The report shows that in Illinois alone, approximately 872,000 households were not food secure in 2023. According to Feeding America, southern Illinois consistently experiences a disproportionate level of insecurity compared to the rest of the state. This includes Jackson County, which as of 2022 was at a food insecurity rate of 16%, significantly higher than the nationwide average of 12.8%
Additionally, the current state of the U.S. farm bill, which offers support to farmers, creates environmental protections, and regulates food assistance benefits, poses possible threats to food insecure communities across the country. Typically, Congress approves a new farm bill every five years, but after a one-year extension to the 2018 bill expired at the end of September, lawmakers still cannot decide on a clear path for the next version. If by the end of 2024, new legislation has not been approved, key programs would revert to "permanent law" policies dating back to the 1938 and 1949 farm bills. However, with a republican majority in both bodies of Congress, any new bill approved before the end of the year would likely cut or freeze benefits provided by the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
In the wake of fluctuating policies and a nearly universal increase in hunger, Feed My Sheep hopes to provide meals to individuals whose needs surpass what they can obtain via their own means or government assistance.
Feed My Sheep guests and volunteers alike say that in addition to policy changes and rising hunger, the community must face the effects of harmful stereotypes. Diana Doroubi, a church employee who does custodial work for the kitchen, says the people who come through their doors often encounter misconceptions spread by "people inciting fear, talking about things they have no idea about." She feels that the unhoused population in Carbondale is misrepresented, likely due to a lack of understanding which causes people to jump to conclusions. Whether at Sunday Service or a weekday meal, Bethel aims to combat this type of thinking. A message board in front of the building proudly reads "Choose love over judgement."
Jarric Stanback receives a plate of food Nov. 20, 2024. 37-year-old Stanback says that he moved to Carbondale from Chicago to care for his grandmother, and is currently in his second year of college at John A. Logan with hopes of becoming a pastor. He recently started working at Burger King in Carbondale and says that he comes to Feed My Sheep to help alleviate the financial pressures of starting a new job.
(From L to R) Amy Burge, Timothy Delgado and Tammy Maxwell talk at their table while waiting for seconds to be served at 12:45. Maxwell and Burge are a mother and daughter who often come to the kitchen together. Both are in-home caretakers for the same client. Maxwell, who used to do the job alone, recently found that she was no longer physically able to work the long days that the job required, so she brought in her daughter to split the hours.
Bethel AME receives help from other church groups in order to keep the kitchen running. On each group's assigned day of the week, they are responsible for serving and helping prepare the food. Here, a volunteer with the "Sisters of the Mosque" from Carbondale Muslim Center serves spaghetti, one of the group's go-to meals. On average, the kitchen serves about 30 people a day, so they rely on simple, filling meals like pasta, rice dishes, and stew. After one particularly busy day which saw many new faces, volunteer Tedda Becker says, "It's amazing that there are so many people out there who need this kind of help that I don't recognize anyone."
Larry Curry, a Vietnam War veteran, comes to eat at Feed My Sheep nearly every day, using his motorized wheelchair to get across town from his apartment. Originally from Aurora, Illinois, Curry has been in Carbondale ever since a stint at Menard Correctional Center. Since his release he has worked multiple jobs in town including a position at Southern Illinois University's Bursar Office.
Volunteers use a sign-in sheet to keep track of how many people come to eat every day. Organizers use this information when applying for local and state-level grants. Bethel Pastor and kitchen organizer Ronald Chambers states that the organization would not be able to feed the amount of people it does if it were solely dependent on community donations.
Volunteer Sumera Mahkdoom of the Carbondale Muslim Center reads a prayer as guests sit down with their food on Nov. 20, 2024. A prayer is led by either Pastor Chambers or one of the volunteers at the beginning of every meal.
Rayeshun Hicks sits for a portrait in the Bethel Church basement where Feed My Sheep is hosted, Oct. 23, 2024. In May of 2023 Hicks lost his wife, who was wheelchair-bound. He came to Carbondale shortly afterward in July. Since then he had been renting an apartment, but he chose not to renew his lease when it ran out in October of this year. Hicks states that he didn't like living there due to bad neighbors and poor management, and would rather sleep on the street, which is what he did most days while he had the apartment.
Kala “Little Bear” Hutchinson (left) and James “Maverick” Garner stand for a portrait in the front lawn of Bethel AME Church. Hutchinson and Garner have been traveling together for multiple years and are currently unhoused. They both have chronic illnesses, and say that living outdoors helps to manage their symptoms. Before coming to Carbondale the two spent some time in Morgantown, West Virginia, where they participated in a program that provided daily work opportunities to unhoused people, and they would love to see a similar program implemented in Carbondale. Garner states that in his experience, starting outreach programs can be difficult because those who have never experienced homelessness are either scared of it or simply don't know how to help.
Emergency Medical Services respond to a call at Bethel after Larry Curry had a seizure shortly after the kitchen closed on Oct. 18, 2024. Curry is prone to seizures and following the incident said that he had been out of his required medication for multiple days. He feels fortunate that his military service during the Vietnam War guarantees him care through the VA hospital in Marion, Illinois and covers any Emergency Room costs. "It's not the best but they do what they can, and it's free so you can't really complain."
Kevin Versetto stands for a portrait in front of Bethel Church, Oct. 11. 2024. For a short period of time this fall, Versetto stayed at the Carbondale Warming Center, a homeless shelter that collaborates with Bethel to feed their residents. However, he had to leave the shelter due to an altercation with another resident. Now, he states that his home each night is "wherever I lay my head." Versetto's housing situation doesn't seem to bother him though; as a fervent Christian he believes that he is exactly where God intended. He says that he and others in his situation are "children of the light put in dark places."
Pastor Ron Chambers of Bethel AME stands for a portrait in front of his church. When Chambers came to Bethel 10 years ago, his new position as Pastor meant that he also took over the operations of Feed My Sheep. Chambers believes that providing assistance to the unhoused and food insecure population in Carbondale should be a collaborative effort. "We've got to be willing to be a community," Chambers says. He states that while it's important that each individual take it upon themselves to care for their own wellbeing, he believes that the church should be a resource for people in times of need. "You can do it yourself, but you may need a little help and that's what we're here for."
Freddy Bonilla (left) plays with young Feed My Sheep guest Kingston "Kingy" Smith after their meal on Oct. 30, 2024. Smith's grandmother Ronita Bradsfield cares for him while his mom works so she often brings him to the kitchen with her to eat lunch. On days when both Bonilla and Smith are at Bethel they'll often talk and play the piano together, which may contradict the bad reputation that Bonilla feels he has in town. He says some people are afraid that he'll be aggressive, and others say hurtful things or offer up rude gestures. "People are just mean for no reason," he says.
Rayeshun Hicks plays an original song on the piano which he calls "What If You Had a Heart Like Christ," as guests leave Feed My Sheep on Sept. 20, 2024. Hicks is grateful for what the organization does for his community, saying, "We're not hungry when we leave here."
Guests exit Bethel Church after the meal on Nov. 6, 2024. "As long as I'm here we aren't gonna stop," Chambers says about future plans for the kitchen. "We have to keep doing it because if not, who else is gonna feed these people?"
