Mike, what motivates you to pledge and serve at The Garden? 

It has been said many times that the greatest benefit of serving others is the good feelings you, as “the server,” receive from the effort. That has certainly been true of my twenty-five-plus years as a Gardener. Whether it was serving in a leadership role, assisting with Soup’s On, donating laundry baskets to Fletcher Place, or now being a member of Faith in Action, the richness of the rewards just keeps on coming. 

Can you share a specific way your service has been meaningful? 

Chairing the Bread for the World Offering of Letters campaign at The Garden over the last few years has brought me great satisfaction. Being part of something larger—thousands of letters going to our congressional representatives, imploring them to address the challenge of hunger and food insecurity locally and globally—means I’m making a small difference. Knowing that our congregation fully embraces the opportunity to speak with one voice about hunger is humbling, but it is also a meaningful way to remind our legislators of Jesus’ words: that feeding the needy is a direct act of service to Him. 

What challenges have you seen recently in this work? 

This year has been a significant challenge, with detrimental actions taken by the Federal Government against efforts to serve the hungry. Still, we cannot rest until our collective voice breaks through. 

Why does this issue feel so personal to you? 

It is hard for me to talk about this issue without becoming emotional. Having served at summer feeding sites in the past, I remember the smiles on children’s faces, knowing it might have been their only meal of the day. 

How has this journey shaped you, and what role does The Garden play in it? 

In the end, I have personally grown from these experiences—feeling both hope and joy—and I am thankful that The Garden community recognizes the need and continues to be a place of spiritual and physical stewardship, committed to changing things for the better.