If it’s the 3rd Wednesday of the month, it must be chicken nugget night at Sarah’s House. Long-time volunteer Linda Lewis from Ark and Dove Presbyterian is known to the children at Sarah’s House as the chicken nugget lady. Each month Linda, accompanied by volunteers from the church, serves a menu that among other items, always includes the kid-friendly nuggets and tater tots. There are few leftovers after feeding more than 60 Sarah’s House residents, just many happy faces.
Linda and her volunteers from Ark and Dove have been faithfully serving the homeless families at Sarah’s House since 1992. Linda not only recruits helpers for the monthly meal service, she coordinates the menu and does the shopping. Linda is at home in the Sarah’s House kitchen, and upon arrival at the shelter she immediately sets out to prepare the popular meal. Linda loves seeing the smiling faces of the children, and feels it is her calling to serve the homeless at Sarah’s House and offer a hot meal and a smile of her own in return.
Linda is a woman of deep faith who says she is inspired by the Parable of the Faithful Servant in the Gospel of Luke. “It says ‘To whom much is given much is required’,” Linda shared as she handed a bowl of macaroni and cheese to a waiting youngster. “My husband and I are firm believers in giving NOW…not later. Many times I hear people say, ‘I’ll give when my children are out of college, or I’ll volunteer when I retire’. But people are hungry NOW, people need help NOW. Why wait till later when there is so much you can do today?”
Sarah’s House, is Anne Arundel County’s largest supportive housing provider for homeless people. Sarah’s House aids families through the provision of case management, transportation, employment services and child care programs. Serving approximately 125 guests, half of whom are children, each day, the goal of Sarah’s House is to maintain the family unit and promote their ability to complete together the journey to independence.