St. Ignatius Shelter Meal Program Vision Statement

Purpose The purpose of the St. Ignatius Shelter Meal Program is to foster community, lift the souls and nourish the spirits of homeless people and volunteers. Core Values We believe that the poor are special to God and that they deserve our support and compassion. We believe that Christ, in his simple request "Feed my lambs," asks each of us to serve his people without judging and without expectation. We believe that a shared meal is one of the most fundamental forms of human interaction and that a fine meal, carefully prepared, is an act of love. We recognize that the sharing of a great meal can be healing and transforming for both the body and spirit. Our goal is not just to feed homeless persons, but to create a temporary oasis from the harsh realities of life on the street-an environment of warmth, hospitality, compassion, and fun where people can find a moment to relax, regain strength, and renew their self-respect and purpose. It is also our goal to build community within the parish, to forge bonds with the broader community, and to develop solidarity and understanding with the community of homeless people. Recognizing that we live in a time and place of extraordinary abundance, as well as a city that sets international standards for excellence in dining, we are committed to "cooking from scratch," using no prepared foods but only the very best fresh herbs, organic and seasonal produce, meats, and poultry, prepared under the highest standards of cleanliness and professionalism, and served in a non-institutional setting that is delightful and nurturing. Just as we would for guests in our own homes, we strive to create an atmosphere of warmth, fun, and compassion by making the dining room attractive with table cloths, flowers, real plates and utensils, and music- but most of all by respecting the inherent human dignity of each individual. We believe that when we feed the poor we feed Christ, and that when we do this extraordinarily well, Heaven celebrates.